Race team likely to struggle but Ray’s looking forward to seeing Lincoln Lou on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 8 February 2024
Trainer Ray Green is most looking forward to seeing what Lincoln Lou can do at Auckland on Friday night - but you can’t get a bet on him.
The Sweet Lou two-year-old is down to trial before the meeting begins, Green keen to give him a look around Alexandra Park before taking him to the races.
Lincoln Lou is the most precocious of the team of two-year-olds Lincoln Farms has in work and showed his ability at last Wednesday’s Pukekohe workouts, leading all the way for driver Zachary Butcher.
In his first look at the mobile gate, Lincoln Lou did everything like a professional, running the mile in 2:07.9, closing in 60.2 and 29 to stave off Tony Herlihy’s Sadhaka and his stablemate Lilly Lincoln.
Lincoln Lou, a $40,000 yearling buy at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock sale at Karaka, is from a big winning family, his dam Sea Of Gold a sister to multiple Group I winner Gold Ace, Strike The Gold who won 15 wins for Lincoln Farms and Dark Energy who won 21 in Australia and another 13 in the United States.
How the colt shapes up will be closely watched by Woodlands Stud which will offer a Downbytheseaside half brother at this year’s Karaka sale on Sunday week.
No champagne on ice
Green won’t be putting any champagne on ice for his race team, Frankie Major completely outclassed in the main pace and Lincoln River and My Copy needing luck to beat some tidy up-and-comers in the Remembering Neil Brady Pace.
Neither Zachary Butcher nor Nathan Delany will be adopting the handlebars-down style of the late Brady when they team with My Copy and Lincoln River.
My Copy is well held in sixth by driver David Butcher with no clear path ahead.My Copy ($15), drawn four, has not run a bad race for some time, and comes into Friday’s 2200 metre event with an unlucky last-start sixth alongside his name.
Driver David Butcher told Green that My Copy would have run in the money last start had he been able to find a gap down the home stretch, instead of being bottled up the whole way.
As it was he finished only 2.6 lengths from winner Better Knuckle Up who clocked the mile in 1:55.7 in beating a good field.
“He’s racing as well as he can and you can’t condemn him on anything he’s done in the last few months.”
Lincoln River ($15), drawn wider in six, is a bit like My Copy, says Green, in that he tries hard and does his best, but needs the right trip to feature.
“He went OK last time at Hawera, after breaking from the standing start, and swished up to them on the home turn. But he wasn’t handling the (grass) track as well as I’d hoped and Nathan had to nurse him the last bit.”
Green is very frank in dismissing Frankie Major’s ($61) chances in the ninth race when, as a rating 61 horse, he takes on Self Assured (R120), Merlin (R98) and Mach Shard (R96).
“He can’t beat those horses but he’s better going round for fourth money ($1200) than going to the trials and getting nothing.”
Frankie Major, a last-start winner of a rating 51 to 59 race at the Park on New Year’s Eve, showed he was up to the mark when running fourth in a strong workout heat at Pukekohe last Wednesday behind Cold Chisel, Coastal Babe and Le Major.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Debbie Lincoln
5.26pm
“She had to sit parked most of the way last time but still went well, and that’s what she does. She’s proven to be a very promising filly and, while it’s hard these days to win without a good trip, it’s an even field and she’s a good chance again.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lou
5.55pm
“He probably cost himself a win last week by going roughly, but he can do that. If he’d got Frisco Bay’s trip he would have won with his closing quarters of 56 and 27 the fastest in the race. He’s just got to do things right to be the one to beat, even from the bad draw, as it’s an easier field.”
Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.30pm
“He’s up in grade a bit but I don’t think there’s anything between them. He’s just got to get the right run and, with his speed, he’ll be right in it.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
7.59pm
“He’s no superstar but he’s very honest and he’s always a place chance as he’s a tough bugger, he sat parked last week.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.59pm
“With a similar run to last week, he’d be right in it. He clocked 55.8 and 27.7, doing his best work at the finish. He hasn’t gone a bad race since he’s come back.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.59pm
“I wasn’t expecting him to do anything on debut as he’s a green, young horse. But he went very well so he’s obviously lifted his game for the occasion. And he’s trained on even better so the experience has enhanced him. From the inside he has to be a good chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.59pm
“She’s definitely a better animal left-handed but she was passable right-handed and should go better this time. She’s got some speed.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.59pm
“She’s a nice filly but is behind the others. I don’t expect her to beat anything but she needs the experience.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.59pm
“There won’t be any shadows for her to jump this time so she has to be a serious chance. She’d been dominant at the workouts and trials before her debut but didn’t get the chance to show her true worth.”
Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.59pm
“Fergie was quite impressed with him on debut and requested the drive again. He finished on strongly up the lane and should go well again. He just needs some luck from the outside of the gate.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 3: Argyle
9.04pm NZ time
“I thought his last two starts have been terrific. There’s no doubt this race is tougher, and he has trickier draw, but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft). But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”
Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: Onyx Shard
5.29pm
“You can put a line through her last run at Cambridge when she pulled up showing signs of a respiratory infection. She had a couple of weeks off after that and, while she hasn’t trialled since, she’s been training down nicely. She’s a nice filly and from the good draw should really win.”
Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.19pm
“He wasn’t far away in the amateur race at Auckland last time despite jumping a shadow early and galloping. This is a decent drop in class for him and he should be very competitive.
