Watch for Simply Sam to hit the line hard at Kilmore on Friday night.
Simply Sam drawn to dash late but will they let Ravishing get away with murder again?
By Barry Lichter • 21 September 2022
Simply Sam needs only to hit the line hard at Kilmore on Friday night to tell trainer Ray Green that he’s primed for the Victoria Derby.
A last start winner at Shepparton, Simply Sam is handicapped by a second row draw in the A$25,000 Withers Classic, from where Green says he’ll need a lot of luck to beat impressive Ballarat winner Captain Ravishing.
“If he gets away with murder again in front, he’ll be impossible to beat,” said Green of Captain Ravishing who ripped off unheard of closing sectionals of 52.8 and 25.1 in the Holloway Classic.
“He’s obviously a very fast horse but I’ve got a suspicion he might not cope with being mauled a bit.”
Green says he can’t imagine the other drivers will let Captain Ravishing get away with walking to the quarter on Friday but the next three favourites have all drawn the second row and Simply Sam won’t be in a position to force the issue.
“He’ll need a bit of luck from the second row and I’m hoping he can get a nice suck into the race.
“This isn’t the race we’re here for. And, while it would be great to win a $25,000 race, as long as he gets home well, I”ll be happy.
“Then he should be firing on all eight cylinders for the derby heats the following week.”
Nathan Jack drives Argyle in race eight.The A$200,000 Victoria Derby on October 8 is still also a likely target for stablemate Argyle who goes round out of his grade three races later.
An all-the-way winner at Melton on September 10, Argyle is the lowest rated in the rating 75 to 85 over 2180 metres but that’s by design, says Green.
“We had two choices - go in this race from a good alley or draw badly in a lesser race.
“I ran it past our driver Nathan Jack and he said in the easier field he’d have to loop the field and rough it. “He’s always gone his best races getting a handy trip and that’s what he’ll get from two. Sure, he’s racing out of his grade and they’re all tidy horses but there’s nothing wonderful in there.”
Argyle has continued to thrive since his win at Melton in a R67-R75 race after which Green did some remedial shoeing on the horse.
“We had flip flops on him before. He had a bit of an issue when an abscess blew out of his heel and, while the hoof grew down, the flip flops kept it off the ground.
“But we’ve taken them off, trimmed his feet up a bit, and he has aluminium shoes on in front now.”
Copy That in good shape
Meanwhile, last week’s decisive Gammalite winner Copy That trained this morning on the straight track at Yabby Dam Farm.
“He’s in good shape. I’m about to go and put new shoes on him,” said Green enjoying a milder day in Ballarat after five days when the cold “was like being on the dark side of the moon.
“I’m hoping he’ll be on top of his game in the Smoken Up Sprint next week then it’s the big one, the Victoria Cup, on October 8.”
Copy That remains an $8.50 third favourite for the New Zealand Trotting Cup, behind Self Assured ($3) and Akuta ($4).
Simply Sam races at 9.33pm NZ time at Kilmore on Friday night.
Argyle races at 11.03pm NZ time at Kilmore on Friday night.
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.”
