Sugar Ray Lincoln and older bro’ Copy That two peas in a pod - bad boys made good

Just how closely the career of Sugar Ray Lincoln is starting to mirror that of his older brother Copy That is not lost on Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green.

When the two-year-old came from the tail of the field on the home turn to run over the top of his rivals at Auckland on Thursday night, it was his sixth raceday start, belying his 2, 12, 8, 4, 6 formline.

Five years ago, in June, 2019, Copy That, also in his sixth start, turned around a similarly mediocre career record of 5, 5, 6, 5, 7.

Sugar Ray might not have laid down a seven-and-a-half length winning margin like Copy That, but he showed enough of a turn of foot to give Green plenty of hope for the future.

“This horse is very similar to Copy That in a lot of ways,” Green said. “He winds himself up a bit and Copy That was the same early on.

“Hopefully he finds Copy That’s kind of speed as well.”

Just like Copy That confounded his drivers when being educated, Sugar Ray is proving a challenge.

On Thursday night, Green didn’t put the horse’s kicking strap on (over his rump) and before the start he put the boot in.

“He barrelled the cart but luckily didn’t get a leg over the shaft. That seemed to get something out of his system because Maurice said he was perfect in the running.”

Uncannily, Sugar Ray has the same Houdini-like skills as Copy That of slipping out of his bridle if left tied-up unattended.

“They pull the same kind of antics but hopefully we’re on track with Sugar Ray now. We just want to see him keep going round without doing stupid things.

“It was a big relief seeing him do what he did tonight and he really outclassed them. With one hit on arse he really surged at them.”

Trainer Ray Green tried all kinds of gear on Copy That before the penny dropped.Sugar Ray clocked only 2:44.8 for the 2200 metres, a mile rate of 2:00.5, compared to Copy That’s 2:43.3 maiden win five years ago.

But he did it in only three and a half months, compared to the five months it took for the penny to drop with Copy That, now a $2 million earner.

“Times don’t mean much,” Green said. “They just tell you how the race was run and the middle stages were pretty slow.”

But Sugar Ray’s closing 800 of 56 gave Green plenty of reason to start searching programmes today for when the big two-year-old features like the Sires’ Stakes are being held later in the year.

“There’s nothing much for him for the next couple of months so we’ll just play it by ear. And so long as he behaves himself, he’ll stay a colt. I prefer racing colts.”

A couple of weeks of wet weather and the unavailability of Lincoln Farms’ vet saved Sugar Ray from being gelded after his last poor performance at Auckland on June 13.

“If he turns ugly and becomes a danger to himself or others, then we’ll look at it again.”

Sugar Ray Lincoln (American Ideal - Lively Nights), a $60,000 yearling, is raced by Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street, along with their business manager Ian Middleton, Green’s wife Debbie, and Phil Cook.

“Phil was rapt,” John Street said. “He won like a nice horse and I think it was even easier than it looked.”