Atta boy Tommy! Ants really impressed by tonight’s tough all-the-way win in 1:52.7
By Barry Lichter • 24 July 2021
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.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Lincoln LInda
5.14pm
“The fillies she raced against in the Sires’ Stakes Semi were the best around so this is a massive drop in class for her. I imagine Fergie will work his way forward, as she’s best in front, and then she’d become the one to beat.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
5.16pm
“The draw helps as he likes being in front. The raw ability is there but from time to time he’s reluctant to show it. But that last start was a vast improvement.”
Race 1: Colonel Lincoln
5.16pm
“He was definitely in need of the run first-up and will benefit from another. He’s been off the scene for a long time.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.08pm
“He did well second-up, peeling off a 55.1 half. He’s been a slow maturer but I think he’s getting stronger as he gets older - he certainly feels much stronger in his work.”
Race 5: Lincoln Wave
7.08pm
“The Cambridge race has brought him on and I’m sure he’ll go well again, but he won’t be butchered a week out from the Derby. I don’t want to get carried away but he’s a pretty good horse, the best of our three in the race. He’s a year younger than Suger Ray but has a bit more ability. It’s hard to know where he’ll take us but he has the potential to be a classic colt.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.08pm
“He’s in the zone, he’s feeling really great, and he won’t go badly. But he’ll need luck from the draw.”
Race 9: Spiritual Bliss
9.04pm
“She’s racing better horses now and has done well to cop getting parked in some hard-run races. Leading is her go and she’ll get her chance from the inside draw.”
Race 10: Rivergirl Bella
9.36pm
“She has got a bit of speed but she can’t carry it very far. But if she gets the right trip, and gets out at the right time, not too soon, she’s always a chance.”
Race 10: Jessie Lincoln
9.36pm
“Harry blamed himself for the horse breaking at the start at Cambridge - he said he asked her to go a bit too quickly off the gate. She shouldn’t do it again. She’ll hold her own here, I’m sure.”
Race 10: Marylynes Boy
9.36pm
“He’s been training well but he’s only a little colt having his first start and from the second row I think Nathan will be happy to just see him get around safely.”
