Zachary Butcher reports on Tommy Lincoln on returning to scale at Alexandra Park.
Zachary turns on a masterclass, saving his best for Lincoln Farms’ popular boy Tommy
By Barry Lichter • 7 August 2020
Zachary Butcher turned on a masterclass of front-running drives at Auckland on Thursday night but Tommy Lincoln’s win proved easily the most popular.
Butcher reined home four winners on the night, for four different trainers, with Tommy Lincoln, Daisy Hill and Mr Fantastic all scoring from the front and Marathon Man from the one-one.
But he reserved the biggest smile for the happy throng of owners which greeted Tommy Lincoln after the seventh race, including his boss at Lincoln Farms, John Street.
Pre-race discussions cast doubt on whether Butcher could get across from the outside of the gate on Tommy Lincoln, who races best when bowling along in front.
But Butcher made it look easy, getting the big horse out like a rocket to head Silk inside the first 200 metres.
From there it was a procession and Tommy Lincoln never looked like being headed as he raced away to a two and three-quarter length win in the smart time of 2:41.4 for the 2200 metres.
“He led easily, relaxed beautifully in front and then peeled off a 55.3 half,” Butcher said as the owners smiled for the camera.
Tommy Lincoln goes all the way for Zachary Butcher. PHOTO: Meghan Liefting/Race Images.Raced by Shannon and Brenda Flay, Ian, Kathy and Daniel Parkinson, Debbie Sparks, Ray Menzies, Dennis Ebert, Ian Middleton and John and Lynne Street, the American Ideal four-year-old has now won five of his 15 starts and topped $50,000 in earnings.
That’s a healthy return on the $10,000 Street paid for the horse as a weanling from Woodlands Stud, who ironically, bought his dam Tania Tandias from Lincoln Farms the previous season.
The last two horses Lincoln Farms bred from the Falcon Seelster mare were the well performed Lincoln’s Road (14 wins) and Lincoln’s Girl (15 wins, including four in the United States).
Trainer Ray Green said Tommy Lincoln’s emergence didn’t surprise him as he’s yet another tough racehorse sired by American Ideal, now standing in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley.
“He’s got gate speed and he keeps going,” Green said.
Green was taken even more by the terrific late burst of stablemate American Dealer to nab third right on the line.
Buried four deep on the markers, he looked to have no chance of filling a placing and was even a longshot to get there well into the home straight.
But he really wound up when angled out by David Butcher to hit the line like a freight train.
“He’s a great wee horse and we’ll see a lot more from him.”
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Debbie Lincoln
5.26pm
“She had to sit parked most of the way last time but still went well, and that’s what she does. She’s proven to be a very promising filly and, while it’s hard these days to win without a good trip, it’s an even field and she’s a good chance again.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lou
5.55pm
“He probably cost himself a win last week by going roughly, but he can do that. If he’d got Frisco Bay’s trip he would have won with his closing quarters of 56 and 27 the fastest in the race. He’s just got to do things right to be the one to beat, even from the bad draw, as it’s an easier field.”
Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.30pm
“He’s up in grade a bit but I don’t think there’s anything between them. He’s just got to get the right run and, with his speed, he’ll be right in it.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
7.59pm
“He’s no superstar but he’s very honest and he’s always a place chance as he’s a tough bugger, he sat parked last week.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.59pm
“With a similar run to last week, he’d be right in it. He clocked 55.8 and 27.7, doing his best work at the finish. He hasn’t gone a bad race since he’s come back.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.59pm
“I wasn’t expecting him to do anything on debut as he’s a green, young horse. But he went very well so he’s obviously lifted his game for the occasion. And he’s trained on even better so the experience has enhanced him. From the inside he has to be a good chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.59pm
“She’s definitely a better animal left-handed but she was passable right-handed and should go better this time. She’s got some speed.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.59pm
“She’s a nice filly but is behind the others. I don’t expect her to beat anything but she needs the experience.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.59pm
“There won’t be any shadows for her to jump this time so she has to be a serious chance. She’d been dominant at the workouts and trials before her debut but didn’t get the chance to show her true worth.”
Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.59pm
“Fergie was quite impressed with him on debut and requested the drive again. He finished on strongly up the lane and should go well again. He just needs some luck from the outside of the gate.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 3: Argyle
9.04pm NZ time
“I thought his last two starts have been terrific. There’s no doubt this race is tougher, and he has trickier draw, but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft). But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”
Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: Onyx Shard
5.29pm
“You can put a line through her last run at Cambridge when she pulled up showing signs of a respiratory infection. She had a couple of weeks off after that and, while she hasn’t trialled since, she’s been training down nicely. She’s a nice filly and from the good draw should really win.”
Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.19pm
“He wasn’t far away in the amateur race at Auckland last time despite jumping a shadow early and galloping. This is a decent drop in class for him and he should be very competitive.
