Tommy Lincoln (Andre Poutama), outer, gets the better of stablemate The Empress (Zachary Butcher) at Auckland in June. PHOTO: Peter Rubery/Race Images.
Big Tommy Lincoln sure to strip fitter so will be dangerous from the pole on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 30 October 2019
Trainer Ray Green expects Tommy Lincoln to be dangerous from the pole despite facing some up-and-coming rivals at Auckland on Friday night.
Tommy Lincoln is the lowest graded in the rating 57 to 63 seventh race, Green having already scratched stablemate The Empress because of her bad draw.
But the race is no harder than the one he faced fresh-up at Alexandra Park last Friday when Green “threw him in the deep end” in the Sires’ Stakes heat.
Big Tommy might have run only sixth, but Green was plenty happy with his performance considering he had not raced for four months and winner Line Up recorded a fast 1:54.4 mile.
The American Ideal three-year-old, after being given a perfect one-one sit by Andre Poutama, was under pressure turning for home but, in typical style, fought on bravely, and lost fourth only in the last 100 metres.
Tommy Lincoln ended up 5.2 lengths from the winner and paced the mile in 1:55.4, a fine first-up effort.
Green quite rightly predicted Tommy Lincoln would need the run last week and when asked if he’s still a run away, Green replied: “Who knows? He’ll obviously keep improving but he should go well, especially from the good draw.”
While overall the opposition is no tougher than last week, he does bash heads this time with the promising Barry Purdon-trained Henry Hu.
Tommy Lincoln, however, has shown he has plenty of mettle too, proving the real late season find for Lincoln Farms as a two-year-old, stringing together a hat-trick of wins, taking each step up with aplomb.
David Butcher, who won on the horse in May, takes the reins on Friday night.
Trainer Ray Green with Bettor My Dreamz. PHOTO: Joel Gillan/Race Images.Butcher is also behind Lincoln Farms’ only other runner on Friday, Bettor My Dreamz, in the sixth race.
The Bettor’s Delight four-year-old finally gets a draw to work with, as a result of being a rating 66 horse in a rating 66 to 90 field.
In his last three starts he’s been in weaker fields but consequentially was saddled with barriers 13, seven and seven.
He had no chance last week when five deep on the markers in Wainui Creek’s 1:54.9 mile but wasn’t far from the prize when second to Delightful Major and fourth to Ball Of Art in his two starts before that.
“At least he’ll be in the race this time,” says Green. “But he really needs to go down a grade.”
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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.”
