Trainer Al Barnes with driver son Hayden after Northview Hustler’s terrific win in the Flashing Red last season. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Sorry mate, that wasn’t one of your best so the old man will show you what patience means
By Barry Lichter • 19 September 2019
Marburg trainer Al Barnes is a typical dad, proud of the achievements of his two sons, Hayden and Brendan, who have just been named finalists for the Queensland young achiever of the year award.
But it hasn’t stopped him from benching Hayden this week as the pilot of Northview Hustler, after a bad drive last week saw the horse finish down the track.
“I’m not sacking him, it’s just a chance for him to reset and think about what’s most important - to look after the horse first, with results second.
“I wasn’t happy with Hayden’s drive last week, I wanted him to show some patience and for the horse to be hitting the line, rather than be gutted.”
“Hayden’s driven some great races on Hustler but sometimes he pulls out without thinking. He pulled out 600 metres from home last week and was posted four wide from the 450.”
Barnes was particularly keen for Northview Hustler to be driven quietly after he missed a race the previous week with an infected foot.
But it turned into a gut-buster with winner Watch Pulp Fiction pacing a 1:51.4 mile rate, and the Hustler coming to the end of his run and beating only two home.
So this week Barnes will take the reins himself “to show the kids how to look after a horse.”
“I’m not the greatest driver in the world but I’m more patient than Hayden. I’ll go back and save him for one sprint over the last 300 metres.
“He’s about 90% to 95% fit and I want to give him some confidence by hitting the line hard.
“It’s hard to predict where he’ll finish driving like that but the field is a bit weaker than last time with Watch Pulp Fiction not in and the step-up to 2138 metres will definitely favour us.
“I’ll let him run on this week and then it will be full steam ahead next week.”
Barnes says he will have no hesitation in putting Hayden back on the Hustler - he knows the horse so well after driving him in nine of his 11 starts in Queensland last season.
Dad with son Brendan who racked up 109 wins last season.It was another bottler of a year for Hayden who finished up 10th top driver in the state with 85 wins and $587,067 in stakes.
“Hayden has won the young achiever award a couple of times - he spent a month with John Dunn in Christchurch once and got a trip to Canada the other time.
“Both the boys did very well last season - Brendan drove more than 100 winners and not many kids do that in a season.
Brendan’s finally tally was 109 wins and $767,737 in stakes, placing him seventh on the premiership.
“And Brendan’s off to a flyer this season, with seven wins already.”
Northview Hustler races at 10.08pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
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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.”
