Al handcuffed by stifling heat so don’t expect Sir Tiger to be at his best on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 12 December 2019
Recent temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s mean Sir Tiger will be only 90% fit when he resumes racing at Albion Park on Friday night.
Trainer Al Barnes has been forced to back off Sir Tiger’s workload in the very hot and muggy Queensland weather which he says could hang round for another couple of weeks.
“You’ve got to ride it out when it’s like this and just keep them ticking over - you can’t pump them in between races.”
For Sir Tiger that’s pretty significant as he hasn’t raced since running second on October 25 after which he was gelded.
Barnes intended racing Sir Tiger last Friday after he finished a head second in a trial on November 26 but decided, because very high temperatures were forecast on racenight, to only trial him again earlier that week.
Al Barnes … Sir Tiger has a good trailing draw.Pitted against free-for-allers, Sir Tiger finished sixth equal, driver Hayden Barnes not pressuring him after he sat parked in the running and the leaders whipped home in 54.8. The winner, Rock With Sam (15 wins) clocked a mile rate of 1:58 for the 1660 metres.
“He got tired in the last 100 metres, blew up, and had a good puff.
“Sitting parked is not his go either. He needs to be saved for one sprint and that’s how we’ll drive him on Friday.”
Barnes says Sir Tiger has a good trailing draw on the second row and describes his opposition as very even with no standouts.
“I’m hoping the gelding will turn him into a more genuine racehorse and if he raced to his full potential he’d be hard to beat.
“He’s still high in testosterone but I hope to see good improvement in the next few weeks when we get him into a consistent pattern of weekly racing.”
Barnes says Sir Tiger has been pacing better since he fitted him with a one legged spreader to keep him from hitting his splint.
Sir Tiger races at 11.38pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday night.
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Our runners this week
Friday night at Cambridge
Lincoln Lover, Prince Lincoln, Debbie Lincoln, Lincoln Lou, Sugar Ray Lincoln (scratched).
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.44pm
“Fergie’s drive on Sunday was perfect, you couldn’t ask for better, and he said the horse was doing his best work in the last 50 metres. Maybe with another 100 metres he might have got there. His gate speed is only OK so I can see him getting crossed here.”
Race 5: Kevin Kline
6.19pm
“Fergie said he did it easily on the first day, and the horse only did what he had to. He’s been racing much nicer horses at Auckland so it was good to get the win, hopefully it will boost his confidence. I’ll leave the tactics up to Fergie but I imagine he’ll probably do the same thing again, loop the field and outstay them.”
Race 6: Onyx Shard
6.54pm
“I was hoping she’d drop down a grade. She’s had some tough trips recently, having to do a lot of work, and it didn’t help being three wide for the last lap on the first day. Also they only walked and sprinted home. She could be better coming with one run at them.”
