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.”
More news in Harness
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Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
