Big Tommy Lincoln sure to strip fitter so will be dangerous from the pole on Friday night

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.”