Copy That pictured at his Woongoolba stable looking fit and ready for Saturday night. PHOTO: Brittany Graham.
Cards fall best for American Dealer on Saturday with Copy That drawn to need luck
By Barry Lichter • 1 July 2021
Barrier draws at Albion Park on Saturday point to American Dealer as Lincoln Farms’ best winning chance of the night.
Trainer Ray Green lines up Copy That from the inside of the second row in the fifth race, Tommy Lincoln from two on the second row in the ninth race and American Dealer, drawn four in a seven-horse field in the last, all to be driven by top horseman Anthony Butt.
“On that American Dealer looks our best shot,” says Green. “He trained well on Wednesday morning and I can’t imagine him not going better than last time.”
American Dealer came from the second row for fourth in his Queensland debut on June 22, finishing on well on a very fast 54.5 last half by the winner Ilikemebettor.
The horse had a little trouble pacing roughly on the bends that day but Green isn’t expecting any repetition of that on Saturday night.
“I’ve tightened up his gear a bit and he hasn’t put a foot wrong since. We also did a rebuild of the walls of his feet which were very thin, making it hard to nail a shoe on.
American Dealer … looks well placed in the last race at Albion Park on Saturday night.“They basically build on a layer of bog which makes the foot bigger so he should be a lot happier.”
Green said American Dealer’s blood test yesterday came back showing he was slightly dehydrated.
“But that’s nothing we can’t rectify.”
The only genuine rival he faces on Saturday, Talent To Spare, has the advantage of leaving from two on the gate, from where he’ll either lead or trial.
“I’ll leave it up to our driver to decide what to do from four,” says Green. “But I’m confident he’ll be hard to beat regardless of where he ends up.”
The same can’t be said for stable star Copy That in the A$25,000 Wondai’s Mate, the 1660 metre feature named after the former star pacer who retired in 1987 the winner of 73 races of his 121 races.
“We’re going to need a lot of luck from where he’s drawn. Spankem and Colt Thirty One aren’t slugs and have drawn the front row so should be on pace whereas we’ll be behind a bunch of horses which makes it a bit awkward for us.
“He’ll cop a lot of traffic. You can’t have a plan from there - Anthony will have to make the calls.”
But Green says with Saturday’s race only a lead-up to the A$250,000 The Rising Sun the following week, Copy That doesn’t need a gut buster.
“We’ll be driving him for a soft trip, with a hope and a prayer, but hopefully he’ll get a suck along and we can see him roar up the straight. He seems very good. His blood came back super yesterday.”
Tommy Lincoln, the subject of significant offers after his all-the-way opening 1:53.8 win at Albion Park, jumps from 1660 metres to 2138 metres on Saturday but will still be very well fancied to beat the McCarthy rep Ilikemebettor.
Green says he can’t fault the horse who needs only reasonable luck from the second row to be very hard to beat.
Copy That races at 8.43pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday.
Tommy Lincoln races at 10.40pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday.
American Dealer races at 11.35pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday.
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Friday’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup all about the standing start manners of Aussie raider
Our runners this week
Tuesday at Cambridge
Colonel Lincoln, Onyx Shard, Commander Lincoln, Debbie Lincoln, Kevin Kline, Lincoln La Moose, The Big Lebowski.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Commander Lincoln
5.51pm
“Back to Cambridge and the easier amateur ranks he can get some of it. He’s an honest little horse who pays his way.”
Race 4: Onyx Shard
6.49pm
“She’s a nice filly who is training really well and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her in the money in spite of the outside draw. She’d be one of the best in that field and is definitely an each-way chance.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.39pm
“He hasn’t raced for nearly 21 months but his training has been good and he should go well first-up. He’s a beautiful, big horse who probably lacks a yard of speed to be a real super horse but he’s got everything else. I expect him to go well against this lot.”
Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
8.04pm
“He’s training well and has surprised us before, like when he won his first start at Cambridge like a monster after breaking on the first turn. It’s always the way when they win their first start - it makes things hard for them after that - but he’s travelling well now and is capable of being in it.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.09pm
“He’ll be relying on a heap of good luck from the second row. His last run was a non-event. The poor little bugger couldn’t have done a better job of finding trouble. He’s trained on all right.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.09pm
“He’s training really well and he showed last time what a big motor he had, losing all that ground early and still getting up to win. He’s not famous for his gate speed but as long as he gets away safely then Maurice can put him in the race at the right time. There are a lot of horses in there that aren’t that safe who could stand on their ear. Navigating through them is always a worry. He’ll need some luck but he could give them a fright.”
Race 6: Frisco Bay
8.05pm
“He obviously can’t beat Duchess Megxit or Jeremiah but if he gets a good trip he’s a chance of getting some money. Things didn’t suit him last time - being out three wide then going to the front. He’s so hot, he over-races. He goes best if he’s allowed to slop out and find the back of something, when he generally relaxes. Even if he got back a bit, that would be all right, so long as he gets sucked along.”
