Trojan Banner trials at Albion Park on Friday and is close to making his Queensland debut. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.
Barnes: Trojan Banner feels like he can string the wins together quite quickly
By Barry Lichter • 7 March 2019
Queensland trainer Al Barnes will wind the screw a turn with Trojan Banner tomorrow, stepping him out in a trial at Albion Park.
Barnes has nursed the Lincoln Farms-owned three-year-old through a virus which he contracted soon after arriving from New Zealand early last month.
And he says the horse, while slow to get over the illness, has been doing well in his recent training and is close to racing trim.
“I’ll give him a quiet trial over a mile on Friday to see where he’s at and give him a look round Albion Park,’’ says Barnes.
“He needs one hit-out before we get serious with him and if he’s ready to go he can run in a three-year-old race on Tuesday week.’’
The 1660 metre event, which carries a stake of $7860, would hopefully be the first of many wins for the horse, he says.
Al Barnes … believes Trojan Banner can go through the grades in a rush.“He should be able to string four or five wins together quite quickly. There are a couple of handy three-year-olds here but nothing better than him.
“I think he’ll be one of the main players come derby time.’’
Trojan Banner’s long term aim is the A$75,540 Queensland Derby at Albion Park on July 20.
“Hopefully we can run him through the grades, get his confidence up, and then give him a couple of weeks off before getting him ready for the derby.’’
That news will be greeted warmly by the New Zealand partnership which still races Trojan Banner, who won three of his 18 races here but never quite lived up to expectations.
The second of Barnes’ recent Lincoln Farms imports, Lincoln’s Girl, is a couple of weeks behind Trojan Banner, having arrived with only eight weeks jogging behind her and also set back by a virus.
“She looks super and is getting through her fast work now.’’
Barnes continues to be delighted with Lincoln Road, whom he bought in a package deal with Blue Glory last year.
The Sir Lincoln gelding has won seven of his 12 starts for Barnes and was a certainty beaten when third last time on March 2, carted out the back before steaming home wide out to be beaten less than two metres.
“To finish that close was amazing,’’ says Barnes.
Barnes fancies the chances of Blue Glory, who races in Australia as Miss Blue Glory, in the opening race at Albion Park tomorrow at 4.17pm.
“She’s over all her problems now and is doing really well.
“She had issues with her joints, her knees, stifles and problems with her feet.
“We couldn’t get her pacing for a while but once we got her feet right, she was away.
“When I put the hoof testers on her I got a big reaction so I changed her shoes to take the jar out of her feet and now she can run halves in 55.
“She’s a tiny little filly and you wouldn’t think she could run times like that but I think she’ll be a class above them tomorrow.’’
Miss Blue Glory, who has only four rivals tomorrow, breezed to win three starts back and has been placed twice since.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
4.52pm
“She did a good job last week at Auckland. Throwing her in the deep end seems to have toughened her up a bit. She’s getting stronger all the time. This is a big drop in class and she’s a chance from a better gate (three).”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.20pm
“If the real Prince turned up he’d absolutely be hard to beat. If he leads, as he should do from two, he’s a different horse.”
Race 3: Major Copy
5.54pm
“Maurice just nursed him around on debut. He was stepping over tyre marks on the track so he didn’t want to launch him into the open too soon. We’ll put a shadow roll on him this time to stop that and I can see him going a lot better from the inside draw.”
Race 3: Jessie Lincoln
5.54pm
“I’m not saying she can’t win but it will be hard for Fergie to find a good trip from the draw. She’ll need a lot of luck but she can be right in it if things go her way as she’s training well.”
Race 5: Lincoln Dealer
6.49pm
“He’s been a slow developing horse and you can’t drive him pretty, he won’t let you, as he’s a bit of a hot head. Maurice will launch him and see where he ends up.”
Race 5: Spirit Of God
6.49pm
“She got tired late last time and started hanging a bit (hitting a marker) but I thought she went OK. She did a bit early (from a wide draw) and was still there at the finish so she’s going to win a race. You never know with second line draws but it’s usually a decent impairment.”
Race 7: Lincoln Maree
7.40pm
“She never runs a bad race. She has a big motor for a little filly and should be right in the fray.”
Race 7: Angelic Copy
7.40pm
“Maurice said she foundered a bit when they took off, and got three or four lengths behind, but she didn’t lose any more ground after that and held her place. So the run wasn’t as bad as it looked and she’ll be improved.”
Race 8: Lincoln Wave
8.14pm
“It was a non-event last time (from a stand) and he’s a good horse who will be vying for the lead from five and deserves to be favourite.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.14pm
“Peter (Ferguson) said he didn’t feel as sharp last week as in the past so I’ve given him a little freshen-up with a light week and he should go better.”
