Ray Green, left, and Lincoln Farms’ boss John Street who has now enjoyed 525 harness winners.
Hard act to follow: A million dollar season for Ray and Lincoln Farms
By Barry Lichter • 4 August 2021
2020-21 will be a hard act to follow but Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green is looking forward to the new season nonetheless with some quality young pacers in the pipeline.
The racing season which officially ended last weekend was easily the most successful for Green who nudged $1 million in stake earnings for the first time, winning 41 races here and in Australia.
Headliners Copy That (12 wins, $411,347) and American Dealer (8 wins, $282,126), who are owned overseas, accounted for $693,473 of his $941,599 total but Green also won quarter of a million dollars with Lincoln Farms-owned horses.
Along with the 20 races which Queensland trainer Al Barnes won for the stable, Lincoln Farms’ own runners bagged 39 wins, taking John and Lynne Street’s lifetime number of harness wins to 525.
“It’s been a particularly good year, certainly the best I’ve had as far as dollars and wins is concerned,” says Green who has come a long way since he notched two wins and $9440 with Soky’s Rocket in his first season as a trainer in 1988-89.
“I’m grateful to have had three quality horses - you can’t win those big numbers without them - and I know I’ll be lucky to achieve it again. It’s a tough act to follow.”
Copy That was a consistent headliner in New Zealand where he won the Group I four-year-old double of the Taylor Mile and Messenger. His 10 wins here and two in Australia saw him bag the most wins by any horse during the season, one more than leading filly Bettor Twist (11 wins).
Green climaxed the season in Queensland, winning eight races and A$253,256 with Copy That, American Dealer and Tommy Lincoln, including feature wins in the Sunshine Sprint, Queensland Derby and East Coast Derby.
His combined stakes tally was the fifth highest of New Zealand stables behind premiership winner Robert Dunn ($2.16 million), Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen ($1.89 million), their replacement Hayden Cullen ($1.72 million) and Steve and Amanda Telfer ($980,453).
But whereas Dunn lined up 748 starters, and the Telfers 487, the Lincoln Farms barn had just 191.
With American Dealer and Tommy Lincoln no longer in New Zealand, Green has only Copy That to aim at the big prizes but he is keen to see what his mostly untested newcomers can do.
“We’re basically pinning all our hopes on green two and three-year-olds this season. There are about 13 two-year-olds and 11 yearlings in work and we’re only a week or two away from bringing a new lot to the races.”
Simply Sam … one to follow.Unlike previous seasons when horses had their birthdays on August 1, New Zealand is transitioning into a calendar year season, the next five months a bonus for the youngsters.
One who will be helped by the delayed start to the new season is Simply Sam whom Green labels as potentially a leading candidate for the better three-year-old races in the new year.
“He’s had a few growing issues and will be out in the paddock for another three weeks yet but he showed he could be a serious contender last time in.”
More news in Harness
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Little Missy Lincoln can stand up for herself in Young Guns fillies’ heat on Friday night
Leo poised to roar again - he looks a ratings special at Cambridge on Thursday night
Pole goes on The Night Fox - now he just needs a little luck from a niggly draw on Friday night
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Lincoln Maree
5.55pm
“Frank drove a nice race on her last time, doing a bit of work early before leading and trailing, but I think the result might have been different if she’d led all the way. She has no speed, she’s better in front and rolling, so this week we’ll tell Frank to go forward and to not hand up and hopefully she can go one better.”
Race 4: The Night Fox
6.56pm
“He got KOed last time at Auckland but Harry said he felt like he could have won with a decent draw so we’ll just put that race behind us. I wouldn’t say this field is any harder. We’ve got a bad draw again but it depends on how the race pans out. I think he can still win.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.58pm
“He’s doing a good job, and he ran home well last time at Cambridge, but Leo Lincoln is definitely the pick of ours.”
Race 6: Leo Lincoln
7.58pm
“He’ll strip a lot fitter and I think he’s a good winning chance. He’s been racing open class horses and this is a huge drop back for him.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Linda
5.06pm
“I’m not holding my breath. She beat a poor bunch at Cambridge and will have to step up here.”
Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
5.45pm
“Given the right trip, she should finish off not too bad as she has a bit of speed but, after two runs back, she needs to improve.”
Race 7: Missy Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s only little but she trialled super and got home in 2:00.6 mile rate. If she repeats that, she’ll be in the fray. It’s early days yet but she’s a nice, tractable filly who has drawn well in two and, based on that one trial, you’d have to give her a chance. Whether she improves off it, we’ll see.”
Race 8: Spiritual Bliss
8.34pm
“I don’t think any of the others stand over her. She’s a tough mare who has trained on well. I’d love to see her in front, she’s proven that’s where she goes best, but whether she’ll get there from four is debatable. But I’m sure she’ll go another good race.”
