By MIKE DILLON
Owner-trainer Noel Allen reckons backing Sir Albert up twice in a week is the least of the horse's problems after what he's been through.
Four days before he won brilliantly at Ellerslie last Saturday, Sir Albert came close to suffering serious injury when involved in a fatal motor accident on the way to the Avondale track.
"He was very lucky and I suppose I was too," said Allen, whose three-horse truck was smashed into almost head-on, the driver of the other vehicle being killed.
"The car came straight at us," said Allen. "It's not a nice feeling when you know what's going to happen and you can't do anything about it.
"The partitions between the horses squashed up and all three were jammed in there for two and a half hours."
Allen worked Sir Albert when he finally got him to the track, mainly to alleviate the shock the horse suffered.
"He was a bit wonky for a while, but he warmed into it and was fine by the time he had finished."
If there was any lingering stress in Sir Albert the horse did not show it when he destroyed the opposition by six lengths at Ellerslie.
Despite Sir Albert's brief experience of only three starts, Allen has no problems lining him up for the Pencarrow Stud 1400m at Te Rapa tomorrow in what will again be testing conditions.
"He's a 4-year-old now, he's ready for it and he needs to go round on a left-handed track if I'm going to take him to Melbourne - he'll have to race that way over there."
Allen would like Sir Albert into the $100,000 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes at Hastings on August 26, but does not think the horse will have sufficient form behind him to make the field.
"There are a couple of nice races in the Central Districts in the next few weeks that I'll consider before I decide on Australia."
Peter Johnson, who rides Sir Albert again, has a big opinion of him.
"He's still got a lot to learn about racing, but he's a very smart horse."
Racing: Backing-up not a worry after all Sir Albert's been through
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