Northview Hustler is lethal in front as he showed when winning at Albion Park two starts back. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Speed wobbles behind him, Hustler can lead and be very hard to beat on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 4 March 2021
Northview Hustler might have got the speed wobbles and galloped last start but trainer Al Barnes is confident he can go close to winning at Albion Park on Saturday night.
The Hustler draws six on the front line, the same handicap that saw him taken back off the gate last start, but Barnes says with nothing like the same speed drawn inside him this time the plan will be to blast the gate and lead.
“He should cross them without using too much petrol and find the fence first and from there he’ll be very hard to beat.
“I can’t see anything having the speed to hold him out. The one (Chevron’s Reward) should take a sit on us.”
Barnes says the Hustler is “good as gold and ready to go” after being treated for sore feet and having his troublesome fetlock injected since his last race.
“He just got the speed wobbles last time and whacked himself on the home turn, galloping just when Hayden thought he was going to run straight past them.
“On Saturday he should be leading and going very close to winning though Secretagent Tycoon will be hard to beat.”
Hayden Barnes brings back Larry Lincoln after scoring in a 1:54.6 mile rate last month. PHOTO: Dan Costello.Larry’s big test
Barnes is also looking forward to Larry Lincoln’s first test against stronger company in the third race and he is confident he can make the step up.
“It’s a much harder field than he’s beaten in his last two starts but I’ve always said that this class will suit him. The time they run won’t matter.”
Under the preferential barrier draw Larry Lincoln, as the lowest rating horse, gets the pole, from where Barnes says he should be in front or behind the leader.
“I don’t think the two (Feelingforarainbow) will hold him out and the three (Maywyns Courage) should take a sit.
“We’ve just got to play our cards right and hand up to the right horse or we’ll end up three fence. We might even lead, we’ll have to see.”
Larry Lincoln, who has won his last two starts and has been the subject of overseas interest this week, will need to be right on his A game as while he has scored in mile rates of 1:54.6 and 1:54.7 for 1660 metres, his rivals have been pacing much faster.
When Maywyns Courage scored two starts back he ran a mile rate of 1:52.1 and the newcomer to Queensland Our Wall Street Wolf clocked 1:50.6 in winning a mile at Menangle in January before pulling up slightly lame in the near hind leg at his last start.
Northview Hustler races at 8.40pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Larry Lincoln races at 9.42pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
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Third time lucky for Wave’s little bro Omaha Lincoln who finally debuts at Auckland
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
