Detective Dux saves our Tommy from three-month ban over bleeding incident at trials
By Barry Lichter • 14 June 2023
Trainer Mark Dux turned into detective Hercule Poirot to save Tommy Lincoln from being wrongly stood down for three months over a bleeding incident at Albion Park on Monday.
Lincoln Farms’ Brisbane flag bearer returned from a break with a terrific trial win, sprinting fast up the home straight to beat four rivals in a 1:54.5 mile rate.
But when he returned to scale he had blood all over his nose and the course vet declared him a bleeder and stewards stood him down for the mandatory three months.
When Dux hosed the horse down, however, he quickly discovered Tommy Lincoln had a big slice out of the bottom of his nose.
“There was that much blood everywhere, all over his nose, you couldn’t see it before that. But when I showed it to the vet she said no, I don’t think it had any bearing, his heart rate was too high.”
It wasn’t until Dux was driving home that he became convinced that Tommy must have hit his head on the mobile gate during the score-up.
“I’ve never had any issues with him bleeding before so I sent a photo of the injury to a couple of vets when I got home and rang the stewards.”
But Dux’s master stroke came when he took his team to the Albion Park races the next day.
“I thought I’ll just go and look at the mobile gate. And sure enough there was blood on No. 4, where he was drawn.
“He had to be already bleeding when they said go. He must have been shaking his head up and down and sliced it.”
Mark Dux … “the evidence was compelling.”Dux said the evidence was compelling - the cut on his nose, blood on the mobile.
“And the blood wouldn’t have been all over his nose if he’d bled from the lungs, it would have been just out of his nostril.
“That, along with how well he trialled, wasn’t the sign of a horse who’d bled.”
Dux said it wasn’t surprising Tommy had a high heart rate after the trial.
“He runs everywhere, he’s not a walker, and he’d just charged off the track. The vet did his heart straight after we clipped him up and he was also probably frightened from the blood, there was so much of it he must have been sucking it in.”
Dux said he thought it was a no-brainer that Tommy’s bleed would be struck out when he submitted his report to the stewards with evidence he’d hit the gate.
Dux suspects Tommy Lincoln is not the first horse to have injured himself on the mobile.
When Dux spoke to the chief steward the official questioned why the numbers on the gate hadn’t been fixed yet.
The way the six-year-old trialled, Dux is hoping Tommy can quickly regain his best form after a two-month break.
In revoking the three-month ban today, stewards ordered only that Dux sumbit a vet report to confirm Tommy Lincoln’s nose had recovered and that the horse trial again before racing, which will probably be on Friday week.
The winner of 16 races, eight in Brisbane, Tommy last raced on April 15 when, from a second line draw, he ran a fast-closing third behind Turn It Up and American Outlaw, beating home subsequent Flashing Red winner Hot And Treacherous .
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Debbie Lincoln
5.26pm
“She had to sit parked most of the way last time but still went well, and that’s what she does. She’s proven to be a very promising filly and, while it’s hard these days to win without a good trip, it’s an even field and she’s a good chance again.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lou
5.55pm
“He probably cost himself a win last week by going roughly, but he can do that. If he’d got Frisco Bay’s trip he would have won with his closing quarters of 56 and 27 the fastest in the race. He’s just got to do things right to be the one to beat, even from the bad draw, as it’s an easier field.”
Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.30pm
“He’s up in grade a bit but I don’t think there’s anything between them. He’s just got to get the right run and, with his speed, he’ll be right in it.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
7.59pm
“He’s no superstar but he’s very honest and he’s always a place chance as he’s a tough bugger, he sat parked last week.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.59pm
“With a similar run to last week, he’d be right in it. He clocked 55.8 and 27.7, doing his best work at the finish. He hasn’t gone a bad race since he’s come back.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.59pm
“I wasn’t expecting him to do anything on debut as he’s a green, young horse. But he went very well so he’s obviously lifted his game for the occasion. And he’s trained on even better so the experience has enhanced him. From the inside he has to be a good chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.59pm
“She’s definitely a better animal left-handed but she was passable right-handed and should go better this time. She’s got some speed.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.59pm
“She’s a nice filly but is behind the others. I don’t expect her to beat anything but she needs the experience.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.59pm
“There won’t be any shadows for her to jump this time so she has to be a serious chance. She’d been dominant at the workouts and trials before her debut but didn’t get the chance to show her true worth.”
Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.59pm
“Fergie was quite impressed with him on debut and requested the drive again. He finished on strongly up the lane and should go well again. He just needs some luck from the outside of the gate.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 3: Argyle
9.04pm NZ time
“I thought his last two starts have been terrific. There’s no doubt this race is tougher, and he has trickier draw, but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft). But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”
Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: Onyx Shard
5.29pm
“You can put a line through her last run at Cambridge when she pulled up showing signs of a respiratory infection. She had a couple of weeks off after that and, while she hasn’t trialled since, she’s been training down nicely. She’s a nice filly and from the good draw should really win.”
Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.19pm
“He wasn’t far away in the amateur race at Auckland last time despite jumping a shadow early and galloping. This is a decent drop in class for him and he should be very competitive.
