Billy’s shows he’s getting there with gutsy win and Tiger can too but he’s in for the unkind cut
By Barry Lichter • 25 October 2019
Billy Lincoln showed he was turning into a racehorse with a gutsy win at Albion Park today but trainer Al Barnes reckons Sir Tiger might need a major ‘gear’ change after he could finish only second.
“Billy certainly showed a bit of heart today,” said Barnes after the Bettor’s Delight three-year-old was headed early in the run home but fought back courageously to claim a half head win over Gold Reactor.
The Barnes boys fight it out with Hayden on Billy Lincoln outgunning Brendan on Gold Reactor.It was an all Barnes’ affair with one son Hayden driving vigorously on Billy Lincoln and the other, Brendan, giving Gold Reactor everything in the drive to the line.
“Billy is learning, one minute Hayden said he thought the horse was cruising, then he had to knuckle down and he tried really hard. Up ’til now he’s got a bit lost and not shown much fight.”
That said, today’s win took the gelding’s record to three wins and a close second from only four starts, a great start to his Queensland career.
After taking up an early one-one trail, Barnes wasted no time in zooming round to lead at the bell, showing tactical speed which his trainer says will stand him in good stead in the future. He nipped home in 56.8 and 28.1 to record a mile rate of 1:55.5 for the 1660 metres.
“You’ve got to go to the front when you can in these races but now I want to try him from behind. I think he’ll show more high speed and be a bit stronger driving him with a sit. He seems to try harder when he’s chasing.”
Sir Tiger goes down as a $1.40 favourite to Laughing Emoji who stole a march at the 400.Barnes is keen to get Sir Tiger trying harder too, not that he was disgraced today, chasing after Laughing Emoji who stole a march on the home turn, and getting within 4.7 metres at the post.
“I was happy enough with the way he went. They got home in 55.6 and 27.8 and there’s nothing wrong with a three-year-old running those sectionals. The leader also had a good trip and we did all the chasing.
“He also pulled up a bit big, so he needed it, and they clocked 1:54.3.
“But he’s doing a few things wrong and I want to geld him, I think it will make him a completely different horse and get him concentrating.
“They’re shutting down Albion Park for two or three weeks while they resurface it, and racing at Redcliffe, so now’s a good time to do it.”
More news in Harness
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Ray cautions punters with no lead this time for Jekyll and Hyde colt Prince Lincoln
Two (not so) secret weapons help Lincoln Farms to $29,287 payday at Cambridge
Deb dresses her latest ‘Copy’ weanling in white and he delivers a Major coup
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
