Tommy Lincoln, spreaders on, scores all the way for driver Andre Poutama.
Spreaders do the trick for big Tommy who is worth following at Auckland on Friday
By Barry Lichter • 10 November 2019
Spreaders looked to help Tommy Lincoln when he blazed to an impressive all-the-way win at the Pukekohe workouts yesterday.
Wearing the gear to stop him from getting on a knee, which has hampered him this campaign, Tommy Lincoln never looked like putting a foot wrong as he burst to the early lead in the rating 52 to 66 mobile 2050 metre heat.
Driver Andre Poutama had Tommy pacing along sweetly throughout and he opened up in the run home to clock a closing 400 in a sizzling 26.7.
At the line he had a length and three-quarters to spare over trailer The Paua Diver, Dina Brown and Some Do who finished only necks apart, with the trip run in 2:35.1, a mile rate of 2:01.7.
Trainer Ray Green liked Tommy Lincoln’s closing split and fancies his chances at Auckland this week.
“Tommy’s got on a knee in both his starts this time in but he should be good to show us something on Friday.”
Ace Commander began fast from a stand in the rating 66 and faster trot, leading until the run home when gathered in by The Hulk who scored by a length.
In a close photo finish, Ace Commander held second by half a head over the classy Tickle Me Pink with Delson a nose back fourth, both running on stylishly late.
On the comeback trail after an operation for an entrapped epiglottis, Ace Commander had a high heart rate afterwards and trainer Ray Green says he’s still “a work in progress.”
Captain Nemo leads with Platinum Stride ranging alongside turning for home.Young Guns two-year-olds Captain Nemo, Platinum Stride and Bondi Shake all shaped up well in the two-year-old mile, run left handed.
Zachary Butcher found an easy early lead with Platinum Stride from four but handed up on the first turn to Captain Nemo and Andre Poutama. And that’s how they stayed, with Graeme Rogerson’s $190,000 sale topper Challenger next in the running and Bondi Shake (Andrew Drake) at the rear.
Butcher was out to challenge 600 metres from home and looked to be giving Platinum Stride a very easy time as he went across the line, Captain Nemo getting the judge’s nod by a nose.
There was one and a quarter lengths to Challenger and Dylan Ferguson and half a length to Bondi Shake who resented being hauled back at the start and came widest on the home turn.
The mile was cut out in 2:07.7, with the leading pair going 60.2 for the last 800 and 28.4 for the 400.
It was good effort in his first outing by Captain Nemo, a Captaintreacherous colt out of Arden Caviar, whom Green bought for $110,000 as a yearling in Christchurch in February.
Green has the trio, along with Vanquish Stride, headed for the first Young Guns’ heat at Auckland on December 13.
“It’s less than five weeks away so they’ll need to step up from now. But I’m sure they will, we haven’t pushed them yet.”
More news in Harness
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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.”
