Spreaders do the trick for big Tommy who is worth following at Auckland on Friday

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.”