Angus “The Kid” Garrard, who drives Tommy Lincoln in the opening race at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Angus “The Kid” will need to show all his silky skills to land Tommy from wide gate
By Barry Lichter • 30 July 2021
Angus “The Kid” Garrard has been set a big task to win on Tommy Lincoln at Albion Park on Saturday night after Lincoln Farms’ speedster drew wide on the front line.
But if anyone can pull it off, it’s the state’s junior champion, says new caretaker trainer Mark Dux.
“He’s done a terrific job, driven 300 winners in a short time, and I’ve already had a bit of luck with him,” says Dux.
Garrard, while 17 and still at school, became the youngest driver in Queensland to rack up 100 winners in a season.
Dubbed “The Kid” in a promotional campaign to support drivers wearing their own colours in races, Garrard shared the Kevin and Kay Seymour Queensland Young Achiever Award at the 2020 awards earlier this year.
This season he leads the concession driving list and also sits third on the open state premiership with 94 winners behind only Pete McMullen and Nathan Dawson.
Dux engaged Garrard for Tommy Lincoln, his junior claim enabling him to contest the same grade race the horse won last Saturday night.
Tommy Lincoln goes all-the-way again for Anthony Butt at Albion Park last Saturday night. PHOTO: Dan Costello.But while each of Tommy’s three wins over the Brisbane carnival came from the two gate, he finds himself out in six on Saturday night.
“That’s his biggest problem,” says Dux. “He’s been really good this week, there have been no dramas, but it’s definitely a tricky draw for him and I don’t think he’ll get across to lead from there.
“Jumping Jack Jimmy, who has drawn inside him at four, is quick out and normally wants to hold.”
In 11 starts since arriving in Queensland, Jumping Jack Jimmy has had seven front row draws and led seven times.
Tommy Lincoln has run faster times than Jimmy but from the front end, not parked where he races too fiercely.
“I can see him parked early but whether he gets cover afterwards, we’ll have to see. He’ll just need a bit of luck.”
Two of the rivals Tommy beat last week face him again, Mach Da Vinci (fourth) drawn the pole and Crunch Time (third) on the inside of the second row.
“If they sit off us and we have to sit parked, they’d beat us,” says Dux. “But if Tommy leads, he’s going to take an awful lot of catching.”
Two of Tommy Lincoln’s win at Albion Park were at 1660 metres, his latest in a swift 1:52.7 mile rate, but he showed he could also handle 2138 metres on July 9 when he trounced Bettor Call Me by 5.9 metres in a 1:55.4 mile rate.
In the first of his Queensland wins, Dux took the reins himself, rating the horse perfectly for a 1:53.8 mile rate win.
Co-owner Debbie Sparks introduces her niece Lara to the docile Tommy Lincoln at Alexandra Park.In his sole defeat, he started from the second row, worked forward three wide to the death seat, where he pulled himself into the ground and weakened to seventh.
Tommy Lincoln has been one of the recent success stories for Lincoln Farms and its special partnership scheme.
A $10,000 weanling he has now earned $97,515 in New Zealand and A$24,233 in Australia, boasting a winning strike rate of 33.3%, his 11 wins coming from just 33 starts for Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street, Ian Middleton, Shannon and Brenda Flay, Ian, Kathy and Daniel Parkinson, Debbie Sparks, Ray Menzies and Denis Ebert.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Debbie Lincoln
5.26pm
“She had to sit parked most of the way last time but still went well, and that’s what she does. She’s proven to be a very promising filly and, while it’s hard these days to win without a good trip, it’s an even field and she’s a good chance again.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lou
5.55pm
“He probably cost himself a win last week by going roughly, but he can do that. If he’d got Frisco Bay’s trip he would have won with his closing quarters of 56 and 27 the fastest in the race. He’s just got to do things right to be the one to beat, even from the bad draw, as it’s an easier field.”
Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.30pm
“He’s up in grade a bit but I don’t think there’s anything between them. He’s just got to get the right run and, with his speed, he’ll be right in it.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
7.59pm
“He’s no superstar but he’s very honest and he’s always a place chance as he’s a tough bugger, he sat parked last week.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.59pm
“With a similar run to last week, he’d be right in it. He clocked 55.8 and 27.7, doing his best work at the finish. He hasn’t gone a bad race since he’s come back.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.59pm
“I wasn’t expecting him to do anything on debut as he’s a green, young horse. But he went very well so he’s obviously lifted his game for the occasion. And he’s trained on even better so the experience has enhanced him. From the inside he has to be a good chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.59pm
“She’s definitely a better animal left-handed but she was passable right-handed and should go better this time. She’s got some speed.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.59pm
“She’s a nice filly but is behind the others. I don’t expect her to beat anything but she needs the experience.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.59pm
“There won’t be any shadows for her to jump this time so she has to be a serious chance. She’d been dominant at the workouts and trials before her debut but didn’t get the chance to show her true worth.”
Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.59pm
“Fergie was quite impressed with him on debut and requested the drive again. He finished on strongly up the lane and should go well again. He just needs some luck from the outside of the gate.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 3: Argyle
9.04pm NZ time
“I thought his last two starts have been terrific. There’s no doubt this race is tougher, and he has trickier draw, but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft). But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”
Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: Onyx Shard
5.29pm
“You can put a line through her last run at Cambridge when she pulled up showing signs of a respiratory infection. She had a couple of weeks off after that and, while she hasn’t trialled since, she’s been training down nicely. She’s a nice filly and from the good draw should really win.”
Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.19pm
“He wasn’t far away in the amateur race at Auckland last time despite jumping a shadow early and galloping. This is a decent drop in class for him and he should be very competitive.
