Recco Lover challenges up the lane with Star Galleria, obscured beside him, and Jack’s Legend and On The Cards further out. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.
Recco a ripper and Ray’s hoping he keeps on improving
By Barry Lichter • 13 March 2019
Recco Lover ran the race of his life against the cup class pacers last week and trainer Ray Green is hoping he’ll continue to get even better.
Green felt a big dose of satisfaction watching Recco Lover nearly win the Group II City Of Auckland Free-for-all, challenging up the passing lane and looking for a few seconds like he’d run past Jack’s Legend, On The Cards and Star Galleria.
While he couldn’t quite get there, even ace driver Tony Herlihy thought he’d still run third, the photo finish camera giving a nose margin to weakening pacemaker Star Galleria.
“We know he’s competitive at that level now,’’ says Green of Recco Lover who was only a half head, three-quarters of a length and a nose from the winner.
“If he’d only run in the first half of the field I’d have been happy.’’
Recco Lover drops back in grade on Friday night to a rating 62 to 81 stand over 2700 metres and is sure to be well backed on the strength of his latest showing, even from a 20 metre handicap.
“Stands don’t seem to worry him,’’ says Green.
Two starts back Recco Lover was first away in a 2200 metre stand and trailed hot favourite Mach Shard all the way before claiming him by half a head up the lane.
He shares the back mark with Mach Shard and Check In on Friday, 10 metres ahead of stablemate Zealand Star, and Green is hoping he’ll get a decent trip and be in the money again.
“I’ve just kept him ticking over this week. He didn’t need to be drilled.’’
In his last standing start Zealand Star, on the outside of the track, comes down pacing but has lost too much ground in a sprint.Hopple shorteners for Star
Green will use hopple shorteners on Zealand Star in an attempt to help him get away from the standing start after he muffed it two starts back. But he’s not sure where the horse is at after a mystery run last week when he only battled into third.
Dropping back in grade to rating 55 to 75 company, Zealand Star was expected to be very hard to beat, even against the All Stars’ Kayla Marie and Bubbled Up.
And after he secured the one-one sit, driver Zachary Butcher was thinking he might win when he hooked him out in the run home.
“But he flattened out quickly and Zac said he didn’t show his usual zip.”
Suspecting the horse “might have some passengers on board” - viral bugs, like many in his stable - Green pulled a blood off the horse.
“But it came back good so I can’t explain it.
“I’d like to think on his previous form he’ll be a big show on Friday but it depends entirely on the start.’’
Two starts back, in his first stand for 12 months, he galloped soon after the tapes were released and lost crucial ground.
With Butcher committed to Mach Shard and his dad David to Check In, Green has engaged in-form driver Todd Mitchell for Zealand Star.
Maurice McKendry … drives Just Wing It.A new driver, Maurice McKendry, will also be in the cart of Just Wing It in the fourth race with Zachary Butcher behind leading hope Benson Boys.
Just Wing It and Butcher got their army of supporters home in a weak field at Cambridge last time, enjoying a one out one back cruise for the last lap, before scraping in by a neck over Ball Of Art.
But the horse won’t be at $1.40 this time and the ace draw might be his enemy not his friend.
“He’s a chance but I’m not sure if he’s got a lot of gate speed. He should end up one, two or three fence but it’s hard to predict these things.
“Hopefully he’ll be in the money again. He’ll win more races but he’s just a horse, there’ll be no Interdominion glory with him.’’
More news in Harness
Unlucky Leo worth a dollar in the cup and La Moose can go close again on Thursday night
Onyx Shard can keep the ball rolling for Ray and Nathan at Manawatu on Tuesday
Ray and Debbie both in the money at the Park with speedy ‘Frisky’ and precocious ‘Angela’
What’s Up with the trotter? - Ray ‘guilty’ of being very optimistic for debut on Friday night
Our runners this week
Friday night at Auckland
Kevin Kline, What’s Up The Hill, Sugar Ray Lincoln, Lincoln Lou, Debbie Lincoln, Colonel Lincoln, Frisco Bay.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
6.07pm
“He didn’t go very well in his workout right-handed last Thursday but he was good on Saturday when we trained him left-handed. It’s his first race for three months so he could possibly need it but we’re talking Manawatu opposition.”
Race 7: Onyx Shard
7.01pm
“She’s absolutely a winning chance. She showed that last time when she had to do a fair bit to hold the lead. Fergie is driving her this time and we’re pretty confident she’ll go well. She’s such a well-gaited mare.”
Race 8: Lincoln La Moose
7.25pm
“He dominated them last time from the outside of the gate and, even though he can be in and out, he’ll be hard to beat again. That easier opposition makes a difference when there’s nothing good enough to eye-ball you. “
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
6.50pm
“He was very unlucky on night one. The gap sort of opened up then closed again and I had to take hold. He was still charging to the line and if the gap had come he would have been right there with the winner. If he can step and lead, then slot into the trail, he should be a winning chance.”
Race 6: Onyx Shard
7.17pm
“Ferg said she wasn’t on the bit the whole way on Tuesday, was too relaxed. We’ll take the block blinds off this time and put half blinds on and see if that helps. She had to do a bit of work in the run on Tuesday but it doesn’t seem to have knocked her around. The outside draw makes it harder.”
Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
7.39pm
“He looks our best chance of the night. He’s definitely a different horse down here and he obviously likes it in front. Ferg didn’t pull the plugs the other night and that tells you something. He’s doing everything right, I can’t fault him.”
