Apieceoflou (Andre Poutama) flies up the passing lane at Alexandra Park tonight. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.
Ray’s faith in Apieceoflou justified - but his mates in the pub didn’t back him!
By Barry Lichter • 23 October 2020
Apieceoflou showed in emphatic fashion at Alexandra Park tonight why trainer Ray Green has been resisting sending the horse to Brisbane.
For the first time in his short career, Apieceoflou enjoyed the run of the race in the opening event, the fourth $20,000 Sires’ Stakes heat.
And he delivered on the promise Green has seen in him for many months when he swept up the passing lane under the urgings of Andre Poutama to down the heavily backed favourites Luke John and General Montana.
The Sweet Lou three-year-old clocked a tidy 2:02.6 for the 1700 metres, a mile rate of 1:56 flat, and reeled off impressive closing sectionals of 55.1 and 26.9.
Watching the race from a pub in Christchurch, where he is preparing Copy That and American Dealer for features at Ashburton on Monday, Green delighted in the success.
“That was very satisfying for me. They’ve been nagging me to send the horse to Brisbane for quite a while but he’s too good for that.
Apieceoflou scores at outsized odds in the Sires’ Stakes heat. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.“I’m sitting in the pub here telling everyone about how incredibly unlucky he’s been but no one backed him - and he’s paid $26 and $7!
“That’s the first decent trip he’s had and it was against better class horses than he’s been racing.
“I’ve been saying for a long time that he’s a nice horse who’s only going to get better and better. He’s got a ton of potential.”
Green says Apieceoflou has always shown plenty and has a beautiful attitude.
“He’s a big horse and if anything he’s still a bit weak. We gelded him, which sucked a bit of strength out of him, but he’ll get stronger with time.
“His pedigree tells you he needs time. The mare’s half sister went 1:47 in the States but not ’til later. It’s a slow maturing breed.”
Apieceoflou is out of the unraced Rocknroll Hanover mare Wantapieceofme whose half sister was world champion Shebestingin (1:47) winner of 18 races and $760,000.
What Apieceoflou looked like as a yearling when sold by Noel Kennard and Pembrook Park.It’s family full of big winners with her other relations including Hop Sing (1:48.6, $973,000, 27 USA wins) and Bono Bests (1:49.6, $532,000, 25 USA wins).
Green credited Woodlands Stud principal Andrew Grierson with alerting him to that fact late on sale day in Chistchurch, and led to Lincoln Farms’ boss John Street paying $85,000 for the colt.
Green doesn’t intend wrecking the horse by rushing him into the $150,000 Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington next month against stablemate American Dealer and the likes of Krug.
“I don’t think he’s ready for that yet. Maybe he’ll be ready for the derbies later on when the longer distance will suit better. He’ll be a different animal then.”
More news in Harness
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Ray: Preferential draw for top fillies makes it tough for everyone else in Golden Gait series
Patient owners hoping high-priced Colonel can salute at Cambridge on Thursday night
Friday’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup all about the standing start manners of Aussie raider
Our runners this week
Tuesday at Cambridge
Colonel Lincoln, Onyx Shard, Commander Lincoln, Debbie Lincoln, Kevin Kline, Lincoln La Moose, The Big Lebowski.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Commander Lincoln
5.51pm
“Back to Cambridge and the easier amateur ranks he can get some of it. He’s an honest little horse who pays his way.”
Race 4: Onyx Shard
6.49pm
“She’s a nice filly who is training really well and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her in the money in spite of the outside draw. She’d be one of the best in that field and is definitely an each-way chance.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.39pm
“He hasn’t raced for nearly 21 months but his training has been good and he should go well first-up. He’s a beautiful, big horse who probably lacks a yard of speed to be a real super horse but he’s got everything else. I expect him to go well against this lot.”
Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
8.04pm
“He’s training well and has surprised us before, like when he won his first start at Cambridge like a monster after breaking on the first turn. It’s always the way when they win their first start - it makes things hard for them after that - but he’s travelling well now and is capable of being in it.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.09pm
“He’ll be relying on a heap of good luck from the second row. His last run was a non-event. The poor little bugger couldn’t have done a better job of finding trouble. He’s trained on all right.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.09pm
“He’s training really well and he showed last time what a big motor he had, losing all that ground early and still getting up to win. He’s not famous for his gate speed but as long as he gets away safely then Maurice can put him in the race at the right time. There are a lot of horses in there that aren’t that safe who could stand on their ear. Navigating through them is always a worry. He’ll need some luck but he could give them a fright.”
Race 6: Frisco Bay
8.05pm
“He obviously can’t beat Duchess Megxit or Jeremiah but if he gets a good trip he’s a chance of getting some money. Things didn’t suit him last time - being out three wide then going to the front. He’s so hot, he over-races. He goes best if he’s allowed to slop out and find the back of something, when he generally relaxes. Even if he got back a bit, that would be all right, so long as he gets sucked along.”
