Ray Green, pictured using a heart monitor, has spent more time looking after patients than training this week.
Green busy in sick bay as rampant Pukekohe virus sweeps through Lincoln Farms
By Barry Lichter • 28 February 2019
Leading two-year-olds Line Up and Perfect Stride are out of Friday night’s Young Guns heat as the virus sweeping Pukekohe takes hold at Lincoln Farms.
Most of the team at Ray Green’s Pukekohe stable have now been struck down to varying degrees, victim of a bug which has laid low standardbreds and thoroughbreds alike in the region.
“It’s absolutely rife around here,’’ says Green.
“And I don’t think you can avoid it. It’s just an environmental thing with the dry and dust.’’
The untimely setback, just a week out from the $100,000 Young Guns Final at Alexandra Park, has affected most of Green’s two-year-olds who are running high temperatures and have snotty noses, with some off their feed.
“Perfect Stride was one of the first to get it, and then Sir Tiger.
“Some seem to shake it off quickly but with others it lingers a bit.’’
Line Up … had a temperature of 39.7 this morning.Crack colt Line Up, who looked totally dominant on debut on February 8, had a high temperature of 39.7 this morning, significantly up on the normal 37.5 deg C.
“He’s not lying down or dying or anything but he’s a bit depressed.’’
Perfect Stride, who was forced to miss the February 8 race, is well on the way back, says Green.
“He jogged this morning and seems much better, and his temperature is down.
“But if you lined him up tomorrow you’d risk gutting him completely. It’s best to try to get him right for the $100,000 race next week.’’
Green says he had no option but to treat Line Up to bring his temperature down.
“Hopefully he’ll be good to go next Friday. They’ve missed a bit of work and now a lead-up race but hopefully that won’t matter too much. They were pretty tight before that.’’
Hilary Barry will take her place at Auckland tomorrow night but she’s chasing a memory.Green says unfortunately all their new yearling buys are going to cop the bug, even though they have been isolated, but that was of far less significance to the potential damage to the racing team.
“Hilary Barry appears to be OK at the moment and she will take her place in the fillies’ race tomorrow night.’’
Asked if she was going to find it tough again from a second row Green replied: “She’d find it tough if she started in front of the gate in that field. It’s hard to make a case for anything against that monster that won last week.’’
The monster he is referring to is the Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen-trained filly Sweet On Me, the Sweet Lou filly out of champion Adore Me who annihilated her rivals on debut on February 25 in a 1:56.7 mile rate.
Drawn three in the eighth race on Friday night, Sweet On Me is sure to start at extremely restricted odds with Tony Herlihy in the bike.
More news in Harness
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Brace for Ray and Lincoln Farms at Cambridge but Colonel’s placing just as thrilling
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
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Cambridge
Race 2: Colonel Lincoln
1.35pm
“This looks a good race for him. We haven’t done anything with him since Thursday but, with natural improvement after such a long spell, he has to be the one to beat.”
Race 5: Onyx Shard
3.04pm
“She should be dangerous from two. It was a good effort to sit parked last week and you’d expect natural improvement from that fresh-up run. She’s a pretty good filly.”
Race 5: Commander Lincoln
3.05pm
“Onyx Shard looks a better chance from two but he has the advantage of being hard fit.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
3.29pm
“This is a big drop in class for him and he is definitely the one to beat, on paper. From the inside draw you’re obligated to leave, or risk being crossed, but he gets out okay.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
3.29pm
“It was a better run than it looked last time when she was held up in the home straight. She’s improving dramatically all the time and I expect her to give them a fright.”
Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
3.58pm
“The winning time was only 2:47 last week but It wouldn’t have mattered what time they went, he was going to win. This is harder but there’s no reason he couldn’t do it again.”
Race 9: The Big Lebowski
4.57pm
“He stands over them on class and you can’t fault what he’s doing. He’s a big winning chance, despite the 35 metre handicap. He’s the only one on the mark so he should step well and be the one to beat.”
