Sir Tiger … talented, tractable and just needs some luck from the draw to be right in the hunt on Friday night.
Sir Tiger’s earned his stripes - he just needs his stablemate to play ball
By Barry Lichter • 3 April 2019
“It could be a good draw or it could be a bad draw.’’
Trainer Ray Green sums up Friday night’s two-year-old race at Auckland in a nutshell when he says leading Lincoln Farms’ hope Sir Tiger is at the mercy of what stablemate Hilary Barry does out of the gate.
With the filly drawn the pole and Sir Tiger right on her back, he could get the sweetest trip in the race if she can hold the lead.
But if she is crossed at the start - Bad To The Bone and Texas Tiger both prime candidates to do just that - “he could get the big shuffle’’ and become buried on the markers.
While Hilary Barry has left the gate quickly and led a few times in her workouts and trials, Green says she’s never drawn a marble which has allowed her racenight driver to see what she can do early.
“The others look pretty green and nothing has displayed huge gate speed at the workouts,’’ says Green. “So if she holds up Sir Tiger could get a really nice trip.’’
Trainer Ray Green with driver Andre Poutama, who pilots Sir Tiger on Friday night.Nobody could deny Sir Tiger a turn. During the Young Guns series the Sir Lincoln colt habitually drew badly, still performing bravely.
When stablemate Perfect Stride announced his presence with a brilliant debut win, Sir Tiger sat parked throughout and still ran second.
The only time he drew a marble he trailed stablemate Double Or Nothing throughout and sprinted through for second to crack youngster Line Up.
“He’s shown he’s not out of his depth when he’s in with the best ones and he’s more experienced than the others,’’ says Green.
“The poor horse has never had any luck and he’s never gone a bad race. He’s so lovely and tractable.’’
Friday’s opposition is easily the weakest Sir Tiger has faced, prompting Green to say he can feel justified in being very hopeful of getting a decent cheque.
Sir Tiger showed he had shrugged off his virus when winning a recent workout, then dashing home late for third behind Hilary Barry last Saturday in the hands of Friday night’s driver Andre Poutama.
Green does not believe Hilary Barry will be out of her depth against the boys on Friday night.
Her formline would read better had she not drawn badly in four of her five starts and been forced to try to run record times chasing the All Star’s freakish filly Sweet On Me.
Lincoln Farms’ No. 1 reinsman Zac Butcher is on Barry Purdon’s Bad To The Bone on Friday but after a recent placing at the workouts when driving Hilary Barry he mused that, while she lacked a yard of speed, he’d like to see her tried in front one night.
Junior driver Andrew Drake gets the reins again on Hilary Barry on Friday.
More news in Harness
Unlucky Leo worth a dollar in the cup and La Moose can go close again on Thursday night
Onyx Shard can keep the ball rolling for Ray and Nathan at Manawatu on Tuesday
Ray and Debbie both in the money at the Park with speedy ‘Frisky’ and precocious ‘Angela’
What’s Up with the trotter? - Ray ‘guilty’ of being very optimistic for debut on Friday night
Our runners this week
Friday night at Auckland
Kevin Kline, What’s Up The Hill, Sugar Ray Lincoln, Lincoln Lou, Debbie Lincoln, Colonel Lincoln, Frisco Bay.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
6.07pm
“He didn’t go very well in his workout right-handed last Thursday but he was good on Saturday when we trained him left-handed. It’s his first race for three months so he could possibly need it but we’re talking Manawatu opposition.”
Race 7: Onyx Shard
7.01pm
“She’s absolutely a winning chance. She showed that last time when she had to do a fair bit to hold the lead. Fergie is driving her this time and we’re pretty confident she’ll go well. She’s such a well-gaited mare.”
Race 8: Lincoln La Moose
7.25pm
“He dominated them last time from the outside of the gate and, even though he can be in and out, he’ll be hard to beat again. That easier opposition makes a difference when there’s nothing good enough to eye-ball you. “
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
6.50pm
“He was very unlucky on night one. The gap sort of opened up then closed again and I had to take hold. He was still charging to the line and if the gap had come he would have been right there with the winner. If he can step and lead, then slot into the trail, he should be a winning chance.”
Race 6: Onyx Shard
7.17pm
“Ferg said she wasn’t on the bit the whole way on Tuesday, was too relaxed. We’ll take the block blinds off this time and put half blinds on and see if that helps. She had to do a bit of work in the run on Tuesday but it doesn’t seem to have knocked her around. The outside draw makes it harder.”
Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
7.39pm
“He looks our best chance of the night. He’s definitely a different horse down here and he obviously likes it in front. Ferg didn’t pull the plugs the other night and that tells you something. He’s doing everything right, I can’t fault him.”
