Atta boy Tommy! Ants really impressed by tonight’s tough all-the-way win in 1:52.7
The way Tommy Lincoln felt at Albion Park tonight, top driver Anthony Butt said he knew he’d take pegging back.
And Butt was proven right when arguably Lincoln Farms’ most popular pacer set the pace again and staved off home stretch challenges inside and out to claim his third win from four starts in Brisbane.
“He felt really good tonight, very sharp,” Butt said. “He’s got better with every run, like all the team.”
Butt said even though he turned for home barely a length in front of favourite Crunch Time and trailer Fairy Tinkabell, he was actually more confident than when the horse won his previous start.
Anthony Butt brings Tommy Lincoln back after his third win at Albion Park.“His manners were really good. He settled really well in front and got into a nice rhythm.
“I knew when they came at him he’d have a kick and take a bit of getting past. He had nice horses all around him, in the chair and in the trail, so he did well to hold them off.”
At the post Tommny Lincoln had a neck to spare over Fairy Tinkabell, with a head to Crunch Time, clocking the very good mile rate of 1:52.7 for the 1660 metres.
“That’s a good time round here, they don’t go much faster than that,” Butt said.
Tommy Lincoln reeled off quarters of 27.7, 29.8, 28 and 27.4, Butt impressed again by the horse’s early speed.
“With that gate speed of his he should do really well over here, especially now the carnival has finished and all the inter-state horses will go home.”
Tommy Lincoln staves off Fairy Tinkabell, inner, and Crunch Time.Tommy Lincoln will continue to race from the stable of Mark Dux, who has hosted the Lincoln Farms team at the winter carnival.
Tonight’s win was the 11th of his 33 start career, giving him an impressive winning strike rate of 33.3%.
The A$11,655 winner’s purse took his Brisbane bankroll to A$24,233, winning three of his four starts.
That, added to the $97,515 he earned in New Zealand, has been a terrific return for Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street and their partners in the horse, Ian Middleton, Shannon and Brenda Flay, Ian, Kathy and Daniel Parkinson, Debbie Sparks, Ray Menzies and Denis Ebert.
The American Ideal - Tania Tandias four-year-old cost just $10,000 as a weanling.
More news in Harness
Sammy Lincoln can make amends on Friday after narrow escape - Spiritual Bliss too
Canny Fergie drive gets Lincoln Lover home at Taupo - and it won’t be his last win
Thoughts for Lincoln Farms’ groupie Margaret Rabbitt after Johnny Lincoln braves it out
Lincoln Wave super and Sammy Lincoln super unlucky - two three-year-olds worth following
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 2: Sammy Lincoln
6.18pm
“He was checked and locked wheels into the first turn last week and he had a decent puncture wound in his leg from where they ran into him so you certainly couldn’t condemn him for galloping. He’s a really nice horse, who is going to win races quickly. He hasn’t missed any work, and should be right in it.”
Race 3: Lincoln Wave
6.43pm
“He’s drawn wide again (six) but he’s good enough to get the job done. It’s a bit more of a test for him but there are no cup horses in there and he’s a pretty nice horse. We’ve waited for both him and Sammy Lincoln because of their setbacks at two but it’s been worth it.”
Race 4: Johnny Lincoln
7.11pm
“He was very tough in winning after sitting parked last week. He’s awkwardly drawn again but he tries hard and, with a bit of luck and a good trip, he can get some of it.”
Race 6: Tyson
8.08pm
“Completely forget his run last week when he had no luck in the running. He’s a definite chance.”
Race 6: Spiritual Bliss
8.08pm
“She took no harm from the incident last Friday and has trained on well. I think she’ll go well. If you analyse her run, they went down the back in 27.8 and she did well to finish on for fourth after sitting parked.”

