Consistent Sir Tiger has drawn best of Lincoln Farms’ three runners on Friday night.
Sir Tiger needs to show his claws to justify flight south - and he has the draw to do it
By Barry Lichter • 8 May 2019
Sir Tiger has the right draw at Auckland on Friday night to make his mark before heading south to Christchurch next week.
The tradesman-like colt has drawn best of Lincoln Farms’ trio in the third race and from four on the gate has only three lesser performed fillies inside him.
Trainer Ray Green says Sir Tiger will need to put up his hand to justify getting on a flight south early next week where is qualified to run in the $170,000 Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington on Friday week. Sir Tiger is also ninth in the rankings for the $150,000 Two-Year-Old Emerald at the Harness Jewels on June 1.
“He doesn’t have to win but he’ll need to go a good race and pull up well.’’
Sir Lincoln colt Sir Tiger has placed in four of his eight starts, the latest at Cambridge on April 18 when he led, then trailed, before sprint laneing for second to Bad To The Bone in a Sires’ Stakes heat.
He looked hard fit last Saturday at the Pukekohe workouts when fourth to stablemate Copy That, staying hard on his back in the run home.
Copy That hasn’t raced for three months but showed again in that workout that he has the speed to handle Friday’s opposition.
And afterwards, driver Zachary Butcher said he thought the horse felt like he was ready to go close in a race.
With Butcher driving at Addington on Friday night, along with Tony Herlihy who handled the colt in his first two races, James Stormont will do the pinch hitting this time.
And while Copy That was drawn badly in seven, Green says that will allow Stormont to nurse him out, and stay out of trouble.
‘It won’t hurt him being a bit wide. We just need to see him get round safely but the ability is certainly there and all he needs is a good trip to go well.’’
Double Or Nothing stretching out well in a recent workout at Pukekohe.Green says Double Or Nothing is also tight enough to feature given the breaks from the inside of the second row.
The Sweet Lou gelding hasn’t raced since running fourth behind stablemate Line Up in a Young Guns heat on February 8, when regular driver David Butcher recommended he be turned out to strengthen up.
“He seems to have got stronger,’’ says Green.
“He’ll obviously be better with the run but he’s good enough anyway to do something and David knows him well.’’
Double Or Nothing mounted a strong run from last on the corner in a workout at Pukekohe last Saturday, and while four of Friday night’s rivals beat him home, driver Andre Poutama was very happy with how he felt.
The previous Saturday he had a more searching workout when he led before finishing second to one of the favourites for Friday night’s race, Infatuation.
Lincoln Farms’ only other runner on Friday night is Governor’s Bay in the sixth race where he has drawn well in three.
But the horse wasn’t able to keep up with the early burn from four last week when he got back, tried to improve four wide turning in, then hung in badly halfway down the straight, finishing sixth.
He meets another strong intermediate grade field on Friday night and would need to stay handy to the pace to be any chance.
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Third time lucky for Wave’s little bro Omaha Lincoln who finally debuts at Auckland
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
