Race team likely to struggle but Ray’s looking forward to seeing Lincoln Lou on Friday night
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.
More news in Harness
Leo Lincoln close to a win: Watch how he copped it early last time at Manawatu
Consisent little Lincoln Lou sold to Western Australia to join fellow ex-Kiwis
Kevin Kline caps record day for Casey and loyal Lincoln Farms’ team - and can repeat
It’s bon voyage Frisky as Ray celebrates another rags to riches sale success
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.44pm
“Fergie’s drive on Sunday was perfect, you couldn’t ask for better, and he said the horse was doing his best work in the last 50 metres. Maybe with another 100 metres he might have got there. His gate speed is only OK so I can see him getting crossed here.”
Race 5: Kevin Kline
6.19pm
“Fergie said he did it easily on the first day, and the horse only did what he had to. He’s been racing much nicer horses at Auckland so it was good to get the win, hopefully it will boost his confidence. I’ll leave the tactics up to Fergie but I imagine he’ll probably do the same thing again, loop the field and outstay them.”
Race 6: Onyx Shard
6.54pm
“I was hoping she’d drop down a grade. She’s had some tough trips recently, having to do a lot of work, and it didn’t help being three wide for the last lap on the first day. Also they only walked and sprinted home. She could be better coming with one run at them.”

Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Lincoln Lover
5.33pm
“He had no chance last start when trapped three wide all the way. That won’t happen this time from the inside draw so that gives him a chance to get some of it.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.33pm
“He’s shown no gate speed so the wide draw doesn’t matter. He’s coming along all right but will need lots of luck against the hot pots.”
Race 5: Debbie Lincoln
6.54pm
“She seems to have overcome her tying-up issue, her bloods are good, and she’s training well again. She could possibly be underdone and the seven draw makes it very hard.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lou
7.20pm
Scratched. Sold to Western Australia.

Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: What’s Up The Hill
3.16pm
“He’s a work in progress. He just needs more practice - you don’t learn much at the trials with only two or three horses. If he trots the whole way, he should be in the money.”
Race 4: Onyx Shard
4.38pm
“We drove her more quietly last time and she finished very well. She got sucked along and did nothing, finishing with plenty of gas in the tank. Ideally she’ll be driven like that again.”
Race 6: Leo Lincoln
5.33pm
“He had his legs taken right out from under him on the first turn last time. He’s racing very well and should be in the money again for sure.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
5.33pm
“We’ve scratched him. He has an abscess in a foot and is quite tender on it.”