Dr Green goes to work on mentally fragile Tyson hoping to pen better script for Friday
By Barry Lichter • 24 July 2024
Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green doesn’t claim to be a psychologist but he’s resorted to some exposure therapy on Tyson this week.
And Green is hoping it will make all the difference when he lines up the fast but fearful two-year-old in the final race at Alexandra Park on Friday night.
Tyson, who has taken heavy support in all three of his races this month, blew it again at Cambridge last Friday when he showed a strong aversion to the mobile gate.
“He wouldn’t go up to the gate, for some reason he’s terrified of it. Zac (Butcher) had a job getting him within 50 metres of it.”
Despite being several lengths out of position on dispatch after galloping in the score-up, Butcher pressed foward, only to gallop again on the turn out of the straight.
“When the horse saw the mobile on the outside of the track he nearly knocked himself over in fright.”
In order to solve what Green described as a “mental problem”, he exposed Tyson to the mobile gate in training at Pukekohe yesterday, hoping to desensitive him.
“We just schooled him behind the gate for a round so he could go up to it and have a look and we’ll probably do it again on Thursday.
“It’s just a colty thing but ideally we’d like to fix it and help him get over it before Friday.
“He should be one of the favourites in that last race. The raw ability is there and he’ll definitely win races as he has a bit of speed.
“How far he will take us we have yet to find out but I thought he did really well last time given the run he had.”
After galloping out to the rear of the field, Butcher wasted no time in “smoking” round to the leaders, only to find the front wasn’t there for him.
Despite sitting parked for the last lap just when Butcher thought Tyson was going to give up, he picked up again.
“Zac said in the end he was looking for a gap up the home straight, which never came, and he ended up a close fifth.”
Tyson has only five rivals to beat on Friday night, with the early scratching of Carrera Hombre and, from three on the gate, Dr Green is hoping to see some dramatic improvement from his patient.
More news in Harness
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Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 3: Lincoln Downs
6.22pm
“She got home really well on the second night at Manawatu and gets a good draw here. There’s not much exposed form in the race so it’s hard to know how she compares but she’ll win one.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Debbie Lincoln
7.01pm
“I thought she went super again last week with no luck and we’ve got a decent draw for a change so you have to like her chances. She’s been getting in on the corners, so we’ve added a Murphy blind.”
Race 3: Tyson
7.01pm
“I was impressed by the way he hung on to Captain Sampson and Greased Lightnin last week. They’re strong sprinters and it was only a sprint up the straight. He’ll need things to go his way from six.”
Race 3: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.01pm
“It was his first run for a while last week and he probably needed another trial. But we thought we might as well race him to set him up for this week. The outside draw of eight doesn’t help.”
Race 9: Lincoln Lover
9.55pm
“He’s not as sharp as our other two but he’s a game little bugger. He’ll win races for sure.”
Race 9: Prince Lincoln
9.55pm
“I thought he went really well last week. He’d had only one trial and was a bit fresh so it was understandable that he got tired the last bit. That will tighten him up and I’m expecting him to race well. He’s trained on well since.”
Race 9: Johnny Lincoln
9.55pm
“Prince has the wood on Johnny but he’ll still go well. He found the line well last week. It was his first run for a while too, and his first as a gelding.”
