Bettor My Dreamz on a real improving curve and worth watching at Auckland on Friday
By Barry Lichter • 3 August 2019
Bettor My Dreamz looked an improver for Lincoln Farms when finishing strongly for second at today’s Pukekohe workouts.
The Bettor’s Delight four-year-old dropped to the rear early from his outside draw, was three back on the outer at the bell, still there on the final turn, and powered home for Zachary Butcher to be beaten a length and a half by The Lone Ranger.
Bettor My Dreamz cost himself some momentum in the run home by getting his head round but trainer Ray Green doesn’t expect to see that when he races at Auckland on Friday night.
“That was left-handed today but he’s not so bad right-handed.
“He’s a nice horse, he’s improved a lot lately and he should go well next week.”
The 2050 metre heat was cut out in 2:37, a mile rate of 2:03.3 with the final 800 metres in 58.4 and 400 in 28.4, with pacemaker Peter Forsberg hanging on for third.
Double Or Nothing … lacked killer punch.Butcher also eased Double Or Nothing to the back of his 2050 metre heat after starting from the outside but he slotted nicely into the one-one a lap out and looked a real threat when pulled out three wide turning in.
But the just turned three-year-old couldn’t get past Tony Herlihy’s Prince Of Pleasure in the run home and was a length adrift at the post, just shading Turbo.
“Zac felt like he should have run past them in the straight but he did his normal thing,” said Green.
The trip was run in 2:39.4, a mile rate of 2:05.1, with closing sectionals of 58.8 and 29.2.
Lincoln Farms’ only other runner The Bull Pen was in a clump of horses behind Check In at the finish of the rating 60 and faster 2500 metre heat.
The finishing picture was confused by the late break of leader Bare Knuckle, now with Brent Mangos after doing his recent racing in Australia with Kerryn Manning.
Driver Andre Poutama was holding on to The Bull Pen near the finish, as he was hanging in, with the galloping Bare Knuckle just inside him, but he was only one and a quarter lengths from the winner, with two heads separating him, Ball Of Art and Mohs Em Down at the line.
The Bull Pen raced fourth in indian file after making a mistake soon after the standing start, but he settled quickly without losing too much ground.
“He went OK,” said Green of the run which took 3:13, a mile rate of 2:04.2. The leaders closed in 58 and 28.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 2: Debbie Lincoln
5.53pm
“She was good fresh-up but a bit disappointing last week. She’s still very green and I’m not sure what to think about her yet.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.12pm
“He’s the best performed of them all and will get a good trip from one so that means he’s the best of our bunch. He raced well below his best down at Christchurch and we think he might have had a bit of a virus - there was a lot of it down there.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.12pm
“He wasn’t getting the corners 100% last week. We’ve changed the bit to see if he steers better. He’d be very dangerous if he did but he could be better left-handed.”
Race 5: Kevin Kline
7.12pm
“He’s doing nothing wrong and hopefully he’ll keep going well. Maurice said he jogged it last week and the step-up in opposition shouldn’t be too much of a worry for him.”
Race 5: Tyson
7.12pm
“He’s a strange little horse. You never know what to expect. Some days he’s brilliant, others he’s hopeless. We’ll see how he gets around this time.”
Race 5: Lincoln Lou
7.12pm
“It’s a shame he’s drawn the outside because he’s training well and trialled well, but he should still go a good race. He always goes well if there’s nothing wrong. He was hitting his knees down in Christchurch.”
Race 7: The Big Lebowski
8.04pm
“If Sooner The Bettor gets to the front obviously he’ll be hard to run down but he’s no Merlin and I think we’re a big chance if he does everything right. He’s not out of it from 20 metres.”
Race 10: Frisco Bay
9.38pm
“The race will do him good after a short break. You can put a line through that last run at Ashburton. I think he was one who had a few passengers on board (a virus) because he wasn’t anywhere near as good as he had been. He went big at Addington in his previous start and was unlucky. If he’d been one slot closer he would have won easily.”
Race 11: Onyx Shard
10.08pm
“She’s a beautiful filly but it’s her first run for seven months so I’m not expecting anything too flash. She’s training really well, and driving beautifully, but she might need a race or two before we see the best of her. If she gets home well this week, I’ll be happy.”
Race 11: Commander Lincoln
10.08pm
“He’s an honest little horse who’s always thereabouts without being dangerous. Fergie might wake him up a bit.”
