Two out with virus but Ray still has plenty of Lincoln power at Auckland on Friday night

A mild virus has forced Sugar Ray Lincoln and My Copy out of racing at Auckland on Friday night.

Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green suspected something wasn’t quite right with Sugar Ray when he trained the colt this morning and, after My Copy also worked below par, he took blood from the pair.

“They’ve got elevated white cell counts so I don’t want to risk them. It’s not terrible but it’s enough to dull their performances and possibly make them worse if you ran them.”

Green said it was a shame given both horses were racing well.

“I thought Sugar Ray got home better than anything last start and My Copy has been in the zone for a while. But I’m not going to run them if they’re carrying any passengers.”

Green said while it was possible some of the other horses in his team might now be susceptible to the virus, he believes fellow two-year-olds Tyson and Lincoln Lou are well and they will take their place in the fourth race.

While a post-viral Lincoln Lou could have been half a run short last start when surprisingly run down, Green says the winner Semba ran a “monster race” sitting parked and was obviously very good.

“He wasn’t beaten far (a head) and I’m sure he’ll go another good race. He’s more reliable than Tyson but we should get a better line on him this week. You can’t really assess them until you know how good the others are.”

Tyson looked good, pipping Turn O The Tide up the passing lane last time but faces a tougher line-up this week, including the unbeaten Bar Louie and the unbeaten triallist Hearts N Aces.

Lincoln La Moose and Obadiah Dragon give Lincoln Farms a strong hand in the second race.

Lincoln La Moose … drawn to lead. PHOTO Ange Bridson/Race Images.Moose gets the pole

Lincoln La Moose goes from pole position, which could be all he needs to return to the winner’s circle.

The improving three-year-old had a torrid trip from a wide gate last week, forced to sit parked for the last lap after an aborted tilt for the lead a round from home.

But he showed how potent he was at 1700 metres in his previous start when, from the same inside draw, he led then trailed stablemate Lincoln Lou, before lodging a strong passing lane bid to finish just a head and half a length behind Semba.

Green says Lincoln La Moose is hard fit now after four runs back this prep and, with Zachary Butcher again at the helm, looks the one to beat.

But Green believes it would be folly to rule out Obadiah Dragon whose form line of 343883 was deceptive.

“He’s a nice horse - he’s just been unlucky. He’s not one who can burn the candle at both ends, not many can. But if he gets the right run, he’s generally in the hunt.”

When Lincoln La Moose was on retreat last week, Obadiah Dragon was just getting warmed up and turned in one of the runs of the race to finish only one and a quarter lengths and a neck behind Secrets Abound.

Starting a three wide run 400 metres from home, Obadiah Dragon and Andre Poutama were pushed four wide turning for home yet still posted the best closing sectionals in the race, 56.6 and 27.7, with the best last mile in 1:58.9.

Kline better with time

Green says he was tempted not to run Kevin Kline in the sixth race.

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with him - he trained OK this week - but I like him and don’t want to abuse him.

“He’s a big, rangy two-year-old who’s not strong enough yet and it won’t do him any good shunting him out there too often. He needs a bit of time so I’ll be backing off him soon.”

But Green saw enough from the Always B Miki gelding on debut to confirm his rating as a nice pacer in the making.

Kevin Kline broke in the score-up at Alexandra Park last week, but found his spot only to gallop again as the gate pulled away.

Settling 10 lengths off the second last horse, Kevin Kline looked to be well out of the race but he caught the field and was putting in some eye-catching work late, looking for gaps in the run home and finishing less than four lengths from the winner Predator.

The inexperienced gelding ran the fastest last mile of 1:59.5 and the second fastest closing splits of 56.7 and 27.9.