Smart triallist Lincoln River drawn to pay a divvy at Auckland on Thursday night
By Barry Lichter • 2 May 2023
Courtesy of his good draw, capable three-year-old Lincoln River look the best of Lincoln Farms’ three runners in the fifth race at Auckland on Thursday night.
Lincoln River hasn’t raced for six weeks since running down the track in Merlin’s Northern Derby, and he’s also had to shake off a foot abscess, but trainer Ray Green is expecting him to go well.
“The abscess held him up for a week after the derby but it has resolved itself and he trialled well at the weekend.”
Part-owners David Turner, left, and Phil Kelly greet Lincoln River after his win at Cambridge in March. PHOTO: Chanelle Lawson.In a four-horse workout over 2050 metres, Lincoln River did well to dead-heat for first with Fortify, a filly with Mark and Nathan Purdon who has won two of her three starts and lines up in Thursday’s Sires’ Stakes heat.
“He should go well, he’s good enough to win,” says Green. “It just depends if his fitness level is good enough or if he needs one, but he should be right there.”
Green says there’s not much between Lincoln River and My Copy but he leans to Lincoln River because of his superior draw of two.
“Hopefully he’ll get a good trip from the second row - he follows out Lincoln River - but he normally takes a few runs to come to it.”
My Copy will be havng his third run in a new prep and looked close to form last week when making good ground up the lane behind Diamonds Are Forever, who ran a pedestrian 2:46.1.
“Blair (Orange) was quite pleased with him. He said he really dug in up the straight and tried hard. He’s on the improve and won’t be far away.”
Neptune, the stable’s third rep in the race, will need to improve to be a threat from a wide barrier of seven.
“He’ll have to go back from there,” says Green. “He’s been launched a few times and it hasn’t suited him. His best runs have been from off the pace.”
Bettor Cheer … needs the pace on - he’s no sit-sprinter. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.The stable’s only other candidate on a relatively quiet night, Bettor Cheer, also has a nasty gate to overcome, drawn eight in the second race.
“We know anything can happen with draws but the outside of the gate makes it harder. He’ll have to go back and come into it later on.”
Bettor Cheer enjoyed a perfect trip last week, leading, then trailing, before only battling on for fifth behind Venturesome Arden.
“But Zac (Butcher) was a bit dirty on himself for not pressing on when John Dunn came looking for the lead on the eventual winner.
“He’s not a sit-and-sprint horse, he lacks high speed, but seems to keep going. Zac said if he’d rolled them along a bit he would have finished much closer.”
Green says last week’s dawdle-and-sprint home was a little out of character for races at Auckland and he was not expecting a repeat on Thursday.
More news in Harness
‘The Kid’ flying but Argyle up against it to add good points in novel drivers’ challenge
Street’s emotion-charged night in the winners’ room - sad loss before a record four wins
It’s green jackets all the way and Ray fancies improving surprise packet Prince Lincoln
The Lincoln Wave secret is well and truly out now, but who was that mystery underbidder?
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Debbie Lincoln
5.26pm
“She had to sit parked most of the way last time but still went well, and that’s what she does. She’s proven to be a very promising filly and, while it’s hard these days to win without a good trip, it’s an even field and she’s a good chance again.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lou
5.55pm
“He probably cost himself a win last week by going roughly, but he can do that. If he’d got Frisco Bay’s trip he would have won with his closing quarters of 56 and 27 the fastest in the race. He’s just got to do things right to be the one to beat, even from the bad draw, as it’s an easier field.”
Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.30pm
“He’s up in grade a bit but I don’t think there’s anything between them. He’s just got to get the right run and, with his speed, he’ll be right in it.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
7.59pm
“He’s no superstar but he’s very honest and he’s always a place chance as he’s a tough bugger, he sat parked last week.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.59pm
“With a similar run to last week, he’d be right in it. He clocked 55.8 and 27.7, doing his best work at the finish. He hasn’t gone a bad race since he’s come back.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.59pm
“I wasn’t expecting him to do anything on debut as he’s a green, young horse. But he went very well so he’s obviously lifted his game for the occasion. And he’s trained on even better so the experience has enhanced him. From the inside he has to be a good chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.59pm
“She’s definitely a better animal left-handed but she was passable right-handed and should go better this time. She’s got some speed.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.59pm
“She’s a nice filly but is behind the others. I don’t expect her to beat anything but she needs the experience.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.59pm
“There won’t be any shadows for her to jump this time so she has to be a serious chance. She’d been dominant at the workouts and trials before her debut but didn’t get the chance to show her true worth.”
Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.59pm
“Fergie was quite impressed with him on debut and requested the drive again. He finished on strongly up the lane and should go well again. He just needs some luck from the outside of the gate.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 3: Argyle
9.04pm NZ time
“I thought his last two starts have been terrific. There’s no doubt this race is tougher, and he has trickier draw, but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft). But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”
Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: Onyx Shard
5.29pm
“You can put a line through her last run at Cambridge when she pulled up showing signs of a respiratory infection. She had a couple of weeks off after that and, while she hasn’t trialled since, she’s been training down nicely. She’s a nice filly and from the good draw should really win.”
Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.19pm
“He wasn’t far away in the amateur race at Auckland last time despite jumping a shadow early and galloping. This is a decent drop in class for him and he should be very competitive.
