Menu

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

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.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.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.Larry Lincoln races at 9.42pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.

Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Friday night at Auckland

Race 2: Sammy Lincoln
6.18pm

“He was checked and locked wheels into the first turn last week and he had a decent puncture wound in his leg from where they ran into him so you certainly couldn’t condemn him for galloping. He’s a really nice horse, who is going to win races quickly. He hasn’t missed any work, and should be right in it.”

Race 3: Lincoln Wave
6.43pm

“He’s drawn wide again (six) but he’s good enough to get the job done. It’s a bit more of a test for him but there are no cup horses in there and he’s a pretty nice horse. We’ve waited for both him and Sammy Lincoln because of their setbacks at two but it’s been worth it.”

Race 4: Johnny Lincoln
7.11pm

“He was very tough in winning after sitting parked last week. He’s awkwardly drawn again but he tries hard and, with a bit of luck and a good trip, he can get some of it.”

Race 6: Tyson
8.08pm

“Completely forget his run last week when he had no luck in the running. He’s a definite chance.”

Race 6: Spiritual Bliss
8.08pm

“She took no harm from the incident last Friday and has trained on well. I think she’ll go well. If you analyse her run, they went down the back in 27.8 and she did well to finish on for fourth after sitting parked.”

Race Images - Harness