So long Hustler and thanks for all the exciting memories - we’re gonna miss you

“We knew he couldn’t go on forever. It’s been a rollercoaster but he’s been an absolute dream and you don’t realise until after it’s all over how special he’s been.”

Carl Officer’s heartfelt tribute to Northview Hustler comes with the news that the little prizefighter has punched his last round for his Four Legs syndicate and their partners in Lincoln Farms’ rising eight-year-old.

The Hustler has been turned out for a long spell by Queensland trainer Al Barnes who has been battling to hold the horse together for the last few months.

“He could keep racing but every time I start him he develops a different problem. He’s still bright and has been racing in great heart but I don’t want to keep going and risk blowing a tendon. He’s on two and a half legs now.”

Barnes says while he has been able to manage the horse’s problem fetlock with monthly injections, offloading was starting to affect his tendons.

“Last week he had a bit of inflammation in a tendon. The previous week it was the tendon in his other leg. We’d been icing, wrapping and rubbing to reduce the inflammation but when he started jogging lame on the track I knew it was time to pull pin and let him recover.”

Click on the link at left to take a ride round Redcliffe in the cart with Hayden Barnes and Northview Hustler.Barnes hopes that if the fetlock joint is given six to eight months to settle, the Hustler can make it back to the track and produce more of the tough runs like the one he turned on when cruelly swamped late in the Redcliffe Cup.

“I love the horse and I’ve always done what’s right for him. I’m confident he can recover, he just needs time.”

Knowing there was little in it for Lincoln Farms and its partners hanging on to an old horse with high monthly vet bills, Barnes offered to buy the Hustler for a nominal price and guarantee him a good home for life - and that’s precisely what’s transpired.

“I thought if I could buy him it would be like a reward for all my hard work. I suggested anyone who wanted to could keep their share.

“But I spoke to Carl and Shannon (Flay) and they were happy to see the horse go to me. They say they can always watch him. They’re rapt he’s done such a good job for them and will get a good home.

“I’d hate to see him sold for a little more to someone else who might race him until he broke down. We care about the horse and this way he gets a home for life.

“If he stays sound - which he should after a good break - he could come back. It’s going to be a lot of cost to get him back to the races in 12 months but I’m prepared to take the risk that he might reward me down the track.

“He could race ’til he’s 11 and as long as he’s happy doing it, why not? Who knows, he might come back better. He hasn’t had a good, long break since he’s been with me.”

Trainer Al Barnes and his son Hayden after Northview Hustler’s debut win in Queensland in the Flashing Red. PHOTO: Dan Costello.Officer still recalls vividly the Hustler’s first start for Barnes in May, 2019 when he won the feature race of the night at Albion Park, the Flashing Red.

It was the first of eight wins the horse scored in Brisbane, netting A$105,000, to take his career tally to 16 wins and 17 placings for A$233,422 in stakes.

“We (the eight members of the Four Legs syndicate) came into the horse just wanting to win a race so to win 16 is just out the gate.

Biggest heart

“No one told him he was a small horse - he must have the biggest heart you’ve ever seen.

“Who would have thought that for $20 or $30 a week you could have a racehorse who could win $230,000. We can’t thank John and Lynne (Street) enough as we know Lincoln Farms doesn’t keep horses for five years. He’s been a special case - if it had been a different syndicate I’m sure he would have been gone (been sold) long before now.”

Carl Officer, in the dress, celebrates his stag do with members of the Four Legs Syndicate.Officer, who had the horse’s name tattooed on his arm, said he and his Waikato mates, all hard workers with young families, relished their trips to the races in the Hustler’s earlier days in New Zealand.

“Only three weeks ago Stu and I replayed the Spring Cup he won. We remembered exactly where we were standing and when the horse took off.”

Watching their first horse compete in the top races was beyond a dream and while he beat Star Galleria in a Spring Cup (2018) and Hug The Wind in a Winter Cup (2017), his placings in the bigger Group races were also a thrill - The Hustler ran sixth in a Northern Derby, fifth in Vincent’s 2017 Auckland Cup, fourth in the Franklin Cup and fifth in the 2018 Four-Year-Old Harness Jewels.

How the Albion Park club promoted the Hustler’s first big clash with local champion Colt Thirty One.Officer delighted in seeing “Huss” trade punches with the big guns in Queensland too, giving the state’s No.1 pacer Colt Thirty One a run for his money many times.

“Al’s always said Huss is one of the fastest pacers in Brisbane over 200 metres, if not the fastest.”

Driven in 37 of his 47 Queensland races by Barnes’ son Hayden, the Hustler repeatedly posted the fastest sectional times in his races, more often than not handicapped by outside draws and forced to make sweeping late runs.

While his best winning time was a 1:52.5 mile rate over 1660 metres he paced faster miles as an also-ran, and was at his most competitive over longer jorneys, clocking a career best mile rate over 2138 metres of 1:53.1 in only his second start in Brisbane.

The Bettor’s Delight - Northview Desire gelding was raced by John and Lynne Street, Ian Middleton, Ian Gradwell, Chris Western, Shannon Flay and the Four Legs syndicate.

Check out some of the horse’s headlines here - there are 100 stories about him on the website.

Northview Hustler’s owners and supporters celebrate his win in the Spring Cup at Alexandra Park. PHOTO: Race Images.