Our boy Tommy makes the cut for the Inters but he’ll have to make do with a trial to fit him
By Barry Lichter • 22 November 2023
Trainer Mark Dux is confident Tommy Lincoln will strip fit for the upcoming Interdominion series in Brisbane despite not being able to start him in a lead-up race.
Lincoln Farms’ six-year-old was sitting 26th when final rankings were released today for the 36-horse pacing championship.
A slew of defections, including all 10 of leading trainer Emma Stewart’s entries, saw just 49 horses remaining, with final acceptances taken on Monday when it will become known if tired New Zealand Trotting Cup winner Swayzee will take his place or not.
There will be no New Zealand-trained runners at the carnival with no trotters listed and the sole remaining pacer, Lincoln Farms’ Simply Sam, not making the trip.
But there are a number of former Kiwis, including Tommy Lincoln, who has won eight races campaigning in Queensland since June, 2021.
Dux had planned to give Tommy Lincoln a prep race, given he has not been seen since April, but not enough horses accepted either last week or this week to get the races off the ground.
So Dux will revert to trialling the horse at Albion Park on Friday instead.
“He’ll have a nice, sold trial, without killing him, and that should have him ready. He only needs one good blowout as he comes to hand quickly.”
Tommy Lincoln has already shown he has come back in great order when a five metre second in a 1660 metre trial on November 6 when winner Make Mine Memphis was credited with a sizzling mile rate of 1:50.6, a figure which Dux doubts is correct.
And, while Dux knows Tommy Lincoln isn’t up to beating series favourite Leap To Fame, he believes the horse will cope with the rigorous competition as well as any of his rivals.
Runners must race three times in eight days, the heats run on Friday, December 1, Tuesday, December 5 and Saturday, December 9, with the A$500,000 Ladbrokes Pacing Grand Final a week later.
“I don’t think it will worry him too much. He’s a pretty good doing horse. The third heat over 2680 metres will be the worst race for him (he failed three times in as many attempts over 2700 metres in New Zealand) but not many horses will come through it smiling.”
Dux is hoping Tommy can get a good draw in the opening round when he will be best suited by the 1660 metre sprint.
“A good draw would make a big difference but we won’t be driving him like a good thing. We’ll drive him conservatively.
“It’s been a bit frustrating not getting a race into him but I’m more than happy with where he’s at.”
The final rankings for the trotting and pacing series can be found here.
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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.”
