Hilary Barry pacing sweetly in front at Pukekohe today before a hopple carrier strap broke.
Oh no, it’s the Hilary Barry jinx as hopple carrier strap breaks - again!
By Barry Lichter • 5 January 2019
Two weeks out from the first Young Guns’ heat for fillies, Lincoln Farms’ big hope Hilary Barry is still having rotten luck.
The filly had been working so well in recent weeks, trainer Ray Green was confident we’d see her best at the Pukekohe trials today.
And it all looked to be going to script when Hilary Barry tore off the mobile gate to take the lead for driver Andre Poutama.
Still pacing sweetly with 700 metres to run, the filly suddenly went into a wild break and continued to gallop for a couple of hundred metres before returning to her gait and finishing 35 lengths from the leading pair.
The broken end of the hopple carrier strap which torpedoed Hilary Barry today.Unbelieveably, Poutama revealed that one of the filly’s hopple carrier straps had broken and become entangled around her hind leg.
“I saw it dangling there before we got to the half. It wrapped round her back leg and she galloped as soon as she got round the bend.
“We were really travelling at the time too and I don’t think they would have caught her.’’
Uncannily, the same thing happened when Hilary Barry had her first trial, and since then she’s also thrown a shoe during a workout and suffered a stone bruise.
Bad luck aside, Green is really happy with the progress Hilary Barry has made in recent weeks and believes she is on track to be a real contender for the $25,000 Young Guns Fillies’ Heat on January 18.
Stablemate Beaudiene Blinkz is also still on target for that race even though she was withdrawn from the heat today after her hocks were injected a couple of days ago.
Man Of Action is bolting for Zachary Butcher as he moves alongside Eighteen Carat on the home turn.Man Of Action’s easy kill
Green transferred Man Of Action into the fillies’ heat to boost numbers and “give the horse an easy kill” to lift his confidence.
And while the judge credited rival Eighteen Carat with a nose win, Butcher reported Man Of Action was just cruising at the finish and could easily have won.
“I was swinging on him,’’ Butcher said after the heat which was cut out in 2:05.2, the closing 800 metres in 60.3 and 400 in 28.3.
“Isn’t he a lovely mover,’’ said Green. “He looked like a monster coming round the corner.’’
Green was keen to give Man Of Action a confidence-builder after a recent let-up when he was eased in training following several beatings by his more precocious stablemates.
Man Of Action only has to continue his progress to give Lincoln Farms a potential six starters in the next Young Guns colts’ heat on February 8.
More news in Harness
Brace for Ray and Lincoln Farms at Cambridge but Colonel’s placing just as thrilling
Ray: Preferential draw for top fillies makes it tough for everyone else in Golden Gait series
Patient owners hoping high-priced Colonel can salute at Cambridge on Thursday night
Friday’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup all about the standing start manners of Aussie raider
Our runners this week
Tuesday at Cambridge
Colonel Lincoln, Onyx Shard, Commander Lincoln, Debbie Lincoln, Kevin Kline, Lincoln La Moose, The Big Lebowski.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Commander Lincoln
5.51pm
“Back to Cambridge and the easier amateur ranks he can get some of it. He’s an honest little horse who pays his way.”
Race 4: Onyx Shard
6.49pm
“She’s a nice filly who is training really well and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her in the money in spite of the outside draw. She’d be one of the best in that field and is definitely an each-way chance.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.39pm
“He hasn’t raced for nearly 21 months but his training has been good and he should go well first-up. He’s a beautiful, big horse who probably lacks a yard of speed to be a real super horse but he’s got everything else. I expect him to go well against this lot.”
Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
8.04pm
“He’s training well and has surprised us before, like when he won his first start at Cambridge like a monster after breaking on the first turn. It’s always the way when they win their first start - it makes things hard for them after that - but he’s travelling well now and is capable of being in it.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.09pm
“He’ll be relying on a heap of good luck from the second row. His last run was a non-event. The poor little bugger couldn’t have done a better job of finding trouble. He’s trained on all right.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.09pm
“He’s training really well and he showed last time what a big motor he had, losing all that ground early and still getting up to win. He’s not famous for his gate speed but as long as he gets away safely then Maurice can put him in the race at the right time. There are a lot of horses in there that aren’t that safe who could stand on their ear. Navigating through them is always a worry. He’ll need some luck but he could give them a fright.”
Race 6: Frisco Bay
8.05pm
“He obviously can’t beat Duchess Megxit or Jeremiah but if he gets a good trip he’s a chance of getting some money. Things didn’t suit him last time - being out three wide then going to the front. He’s so hot, he over-races. He goes best if he’s allowed to slop out and find the back of something, when he generally relaxes. Even if he got back a bit, that would be all right, so long as he gets sucked along.”
