Lincoln’s Girl has been competing in fast-run races against much stronger opposition. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.
Lincoln’s Girl will find the slower Manawatu tempo a walk in the park
By Barry Lichter • 19 November 2018
A big drop in class and the inside barrier makes Lincoln’s Girl the one to beat in the sixth race at Manawatu on Tuesday night.
Lincoln’s Girl’s form looks less than flattering but she won’t have to go anywhere near the same speed as in her last two starts when seventh.
At Cambridge last time, she had no chance when shuffled to four deep on the markers with winner Patanjali on the front end clocking a slick 2.41.5 for the 2200 metres, a mile rate of 1:58.1.
And before that at Auckland, Lincoln’s Girl had no chance when she galloped out of the gate and settled a clear last, with classy winner On The Cards running a mile rate of 1:58.8 over 2700 metres.
That race was an up to rating 74 event and on Tuesday night Lincoln’s Girl lands in a rating 53-56 race over the much more suitable trip of only 2000 metres.
When main race rival Stoppitt won on the first night of the last Manawatu meeting he clocked a mile rate of 2:03 for 2000 metres, a clip that Lincoln’s Girl would find a walk in the park.
“On paper you’d have to be disappointed if she didn’t get some of it,’’ says trainer Ray Green. “The drop in class will help her immensely.’’
It will be up to driver Zachary Butcher to get the filly to race kindly, he says, but over a short trip round the tight 900 metre track, which will suit her, she deserved to be favourite.
Vinibaka … on first road trip to Manawatu and meets poor opposition.Stablemate Vinibaka, also banished to Manawatu after some indifferent form, is well placed to pay his travelling expenses in the eighth race.
From two on the gate, with Vinibaka’s excellent gate speed, Butcher should have no trouble crossing over to the lead.
And being easily the highest ranked horse on a rating 46, in a field devoid of form, he will be hard to peg back, again over only 2000 metres.
Vinibaka had no chance to use his gate speed last time at Cambridge when, after drawing the inside of the second row, driver David Butcher was shuffled to four deep on the markers.
“David said he felt good ’til they sprinted at the 600 then he flattened out and when he showed him daylight in the straight he couldn’t go on.’’
In Vinibaka’s defence, he was bottled up in traffic until the last 100 metres when the race was all over.
More news in Harness
Hopes for a good Friday night at the Park as blinds go on Wave, Sammy and Prince
Sugar Ray signals start of good year ahead with tough win; blinkers for Lincoln Wave
Winners and losers in dates for the new season - your month by month harness guide
Ray: Sammy Lincoln has ‘turned the corner’ and can go on with it on Friday night
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Angelic Copy
4.53pm
“She’s done everything right and trialled really nicely. I think she’s forward enough to give some cheek. She’s only small. You like to think when you get a good two-year-old like her that they’ll get stronger and transition into a nice three-year-old but she hasn’t grown an inch. But she tries hard and enjoys being out there.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.28pm
“I’m looking forward to seeing him. You never really know ’til you get to the races but he’s trialled well enough to start and I wouldn’t be surprised if he went a good race, despite the draw. He’s a nice sensible colt who’s done nothing wrong and he could develop into a really nice three-year-old.”
Race 6: Lincoln Wave
7.22pm
“He was starting to get into the habit of switching off so we trained him in blinds this week and he went pretty well. He was good from a standing start at the trials with shorteners in and Maurice was actually quite bullish about his standing start manners and thinks that, in time, he’ll end up being a quick beginner. If he steps well, and can land in the first one or two, he’ll definitely be hard to get round.”
Race 6: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.22pm
“He’s not spectacular from a stand but he will get away, albeit sometimes a bit slowly. Lincoln Wave has more speed than him but if it comes down to a slugfest he’d be too strong as he’s rock hard fit.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.23pm
“The blinds go back on this week and if he steps and leads like he did three starts ago that would make him the one to beat. He showed with that win that he’s above average and will be a serious chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.23pm
“You could argue she’s a Cambridge horse but sometimes when you throw them in with the bear cats they lift their game and I thought she was really good here last week. Tony (Cameron) said she’d have finished a bit closer too if he hadn’t had to take hold of her close to home (when he ran out of room and hit a marker pole).”
Race 8: Sammy Lincoln
8.23pm
“We’ve got blinds on him this week. Harry said he lost concentration a couple of times last week, including at the top of the straight, and thought he’d be a bit more on to it with blinds on. I still thought his was the run of the race last time - none of the others could have done what he did - and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him score.”
