Charity horse Kevin Kline looks a good actor and Ray’s pretty hopeful for Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 14 November 2024
Kevin Kline ($2.80) doesn’t have to be a champion but Lincoln Farms’ racing manager Ian Middleton has a special reason for wanting him to be a good winner for his new syndicate of owners.
The lightly tried two-year-old resumes from a break at Cambridge on Friday night, the early favourite for the seventh race, the Night Of Champions Pace, after two strong workout wins at Pukekohe.
Originally leased from breeder Pat Laboyrie, Lincoln Farms exercised its right of purchase on the Always B Miki gelding before putting together a partnership to race him.
And foremost among the big team is a group, headed by Jason Deane, which bid $30,000 when Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street donated half a horse to raise money for charity.
The Stroke Foundation benefitted from the generous gesture at the fourth Champions Charity Lunch in Auckland but the first pacer earmarked for the newbies, Anna Lincoln, never made it to the races.
Middleton, determined to give the successful bidders a good experience, diverted their share instead to a youngster showing plenty of promise, Kevin Kline.
A long-time winning combination, Ray Green and Maurice McKendry, who team up with Kevin Kline.And when he resumes fom a three-month break on Friday night he will also have a number of other Lincoln Farms regular supporters cheering for him including Trevor Casey, Priscilla Edmunds, Lance Myocevich, Margaret Rabbitt, the Red & Blue Syndicate, Ray Menzies and Dave and Daphne Jones.
“I think he’s a worthy horse to be in,” said trainer Ray Green. “And from what I’ve seen, I’d say he’s the one to beat on Friday. He certainly deserves to be favourite as the others have been around for a while.”
Green says Kevin Kline is a completely different conveyance from the one who over-raced and galloped when sixth in his only two starts in August.
“He’s a big, gangly horse who has time written all over him but he’s getting stronger all the time and he’s doing everything right now.
“The raw ability is there - he’s got a bit of speed - and he’s been running good fractions at the trials and getting home well.”
In his October 31 workout over 2050 metres at Pukekohe, Kevin Kline led all the way for Maurice McKendry to beat race rival Makorori, sprinting home in 57.7 and 28.
And on November 7, the combination whipped round to lead after 700 metres and was untested to beat Tyron’s Connoisseur by one and three-quarter lengths, clocking 57.6 and 27.
“I think he’s a pretty tidy horse,” Green said.
Kevin Kline is the eighth and last foal out of the six-race winner Matai Mies, her best being Emily Blunt and Happy Place who both won eight races.
More news in Harness
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Ray: Preferential draw for top fillies makes it tough for everyone else in Golden Gait series
Patient owners hoping high-priced Colonel can salute at Cambridge on Thursday night
Friday’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup all about the standing start manners of Aussie raider
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.”
