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.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
