Swollen legs and high temperature ruin Tommy’s Albion Park comeback
By Barry Lichter • 21 January 2022
The much anticipated return to the track by Tommy Lincoln has been delayed after the horse came down with a virus this morning.
Trainer Mark Dux was confident he had Tommy Lincoln primed for a bold run at Albion Park on Saturday night, after an absence from the track of three months.
But the horse’s legs were all swollen this morning and when Dux took his temperature it was an alarming 102 degrees.
The symptoms are exactly the same as those that struck stablemate Captain Nemo 10 days ago.
“I had to give him some bute to get his temperature down and if it follows the same course as Captain Nemo it could spike again in a day or two.”
None of the other 20 horses at Dux’s Woongoolba stable, 40 minutes south east of Brisbane, are ill and the trainer believes it could be a case of the Kiwi horses having no immunity to the bug which does the rounds at the same time each year.
“It’s strange it took him 10 days to pick up what Nemo had but it’s a common enough virus and shouldn’t take long to settle down. I only had to give Captain Nemo a week off.”
Dux says it’s just annoying that after 10 weeks work and two trials he had Tommy Lincoln ready for a big race on Saturday night when he had drawn to lead a $20,000 race.
More news in Harness
Little Missy can lead at Cambridge on Friday and she’s much more reliable than Sammy
Richer targets for little bargain Missy Lincoln after commanding fresh-up Auckland win
Hard to assess rivals but little Missy Lincoln’s sharp for resumption at Auckland on Friday
Stakes set to be cut by $3.26 million for 2026-27 as HRNZ initiates raft of belt-tightening
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Sharpe Stride
5.24pm
Nathan Delany: “He’s come back stronger and more solid. I’m happy with what he’s doing. Some days he’s good, some not so good but, if he steps, he should find the front pretty easily and trot along.”
Race 5: Copy Ten Four
6.53pm
“He’s a big colt but he goes quite well. Maurice has nursed him around a bit at the trials but the other day he sent him to the front and he hung on well. He’ll need plenty of luck from the draw.”
Race 9: Colonel Lincoln
8.46pm
“He’s finally got a draw but I’d like to see what he can do before I make judgement. He’s no superstar but he’s tradesman-like.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
8.46pm
“He’s racing well, he’s a trier, but it’s always tough from out wide, you’re just praying for a bit of luck.”
Race 10: Missy Lincoln
9.10pm
“I think she’ll cross the inside horse easily and I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’ll be a bit fitter this time.”
Race 10: Sammy Lincoln
9.10pm
“He’s proven untrustworthy and only he knows what he’s going to do on Friday night. I thought he should have won last week with the trip he got.”
