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For once Sir Tiger has a great draw behind the mobile gate - the inside of the front row - for the Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington.

He’s no Sir Lincoln but Sir Tiger will pounce from the pole and track his prey all day

Nearly nine and a half years after Sir Lincoln won the Three-Year-Old Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington, his son Sir Tiger will attempt to upset the Purdon/Rasmussen juggernaut in the two-year-old version at Addington.

But trainer Ray Green is under no illusions about the magnitude of the task facing the Lincoln Farms tradesman on Friday night.

While Sir Tiger has been a real professional this season, seldom getting any luck in the barrier draws, he does not have the X factor which Sir Lincoln showed early in his career.

Sir Lincoln (Maurice McKendry) was a monster on Sires’ Stakes Final day at Addington in 2009. PHOTO: Race Images.Sir Lincoln (Maurice McKendry) was a monster on Sires’ Stakes Final day at Addington in 2009. PHOTO: Race Images.Sir Lincoln didn’t win in four starts as a two-year-old but he came back a different horse at three and by the time he found his way to Addington during cup week in November, 2009, he was a machine, clocking a 1:55.2 mile rate for the 1980 metre final to beat Anvils Best Ever and Franco Hendrix.

Sir Tiger has placed in five of his nine starts and, as Green points out, “has never gone a bad race.’’

In Sir Tiger he sees some of the determination which stamped his dad, who amassed more than $660,000 from his 21 wins.

And, at long last gifted the pole draw in his most important assignment, Green can see Sir Tiger leading out of the gate for aggressive stand-in driver Ken Barron.

“He should hold up from there. He did it easily in the heat at Cambridge two starts back, but I’m sure the Purdon horses will try to smoke us after that.’’

Drawn two, four, five and six, the All Stars’ Smooth Deal, One Change, Virgil and Flying Even Bettor are sure to come calling.

“We’ll just get out as well as we can and then get a suck along behind them,’’ says Green. “And hopefully he can run into the money.

“He’s sat parked against good ones before and run second.’’

In January, after working had to find the death, Sir Tiger clung one well to be best of the rest behind Chicago Bull’s impressive little brother Perfect Stride.

Sir Tiger also breezed for the last 1200 metres of the Group I Cardigan Bay Stakes Young Guns Final in March, when sixth behind Smooth Deal, Virgil and Eagle Watch.

Our runners this week

Friday night at Auckland

Kevin Kline, What’s Up The Hill, Sugar Ray Lincoln, Lincoln Lou, Debbie Lincoln, Colonel Lincoln, Frisco Bay.

Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Tuesday twilight at Manawatu

Race 5: Leo Lincoln
6.07pm

“He didn’t go very well in his workout right-handed last Thursday but he was good on Saturday when we trained him left-handed. It’s his first race for three months so he could possibly need it but we’re talking Manawatu opposition.”

Race 7: Onyx Shard
7.01pm

“She’s absolutely a winning chance. She showed that last time when she had to do a fair bit to hold the lead. Fergie is driving her this time and we’re pretty confident she’ll go well. She’s such a well-gaited mare.”

Race 8: Lincoln La Moose
7.25pm

“He dominated them last time from the outside of the gate and, even though he can be in and out, he’ll be hard to beat again. That easier opposition makes a difference when there’s nothing good enough to eye-ball you. “

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Thursday night at Manawatu

Race 5: Leo Lincoln
6.50pm

“He was very unlucky on night one. The gap sort of opened up then closed again and I had to take hold. He was still charging to the line and if the gap had come he would have been right there with the winner. If he can step and lead, then slot into the trail, he should be a winning chance.”

Race 6: Onyx Shard
7.17pm

“Ferg said she wasn’t on the bit the whole way on Tuesday, was too relaxed. We’ll take the block blinds off this time and put half blinds on and see if that helps. She had to do a bit of work in the run on Tuesday but it doesn’t seem to have knocked her around. The outside draw makes it harder.”

Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
7.39pm

“He looks our best chance of the night. He’s definitely a different horse down here and he obviously likes it in front. Ferg didn’t pull the plugs the other night and that tells you something. He’s doing everything right, I can’t fault him.”

Dan Costello Race Photography