Lincoln’s Girl is cruising at the finish of her fresh-up win at Albion Park, her first race for four and a half months.
Al: The start’s critical for Lincoln’s Girl - ‘If she leads, they won’t beat her’
By Barry Lichter • 15 April 2019
There’ll be no white flag put up just because Lincoln’s Girl has drawn the outside of the gate at Albion Park on Tuesday.
Trainer Al Barnes says the Kiwi filly will be sent forward and if she leads, he doesn’t think they can beat her.
“I’m confident she can run top three even if she has to park,’’ says Barnes who last week won his fourth straight race with Trojan Banner for Lincoln Farms and its partners.
Lincoln’s Girl opened her Queensland account with an easy win on April 5 when she drew three, came out with them, and took up the running after 400 metres.
But Barnes says the filly has a lot more gate speed than she showed that day for his driver son Hayden.
“She was squeezed up early so Hayden took a hold. But he could have led straight away without that.
“The start on Tuesday is important and we’ll be going forward for a crack. She ran an opening 27.8 quarter easily in her first start so has a bit more there.
“If we can’t cross them, we’ll still put the pressure on and they might let us go.
“She likes to be out and rolling along.’’
Lincoln’s Girl’s main opposition has drawn the two inside spots but Barnes says likely favourite Regulus doesn’t have high gate speed and pole runner Tuapeka Light is a sit sprinter who is unlikely to have a finishing kick if used too much early.
Menangle visitor Regulus, a seven-race winner, is also on the quick back-up after finishing fifth in the Triad Final on Saturday night.
“Lincoln’s Girl won easily first-up and was nowhere near ready,’’ says Barnes.
“She’s improved greatly since then and is probably 90% now. Her trackwork this week has been strong and she’s been really keen. In the lead-up to her first race she was quite relaxed.’’
Barnes says he is confident Lincoln’s Girl won’t over-race with her anti-choke device and he believes with her strength she is capable of running a mile in a high 1:54.
Meanwhile Barnes reports Trojan Banner has come through his latest win last Friday in fantastic order.
“There’s no race for him on Easter Friday so I’ll find a race for him the following Tuesday or Friday.’’
Lincoln’s Girl races at 4.12pm NZ time on Tuesday.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
