Easier field, tougher draw but our Tommy’s going well enough to be right in it again
By Barry Lichter • 20 August 2021
Tommy Lincoln drops into a much easier race at Albion Park on Saturday night but the flip side is he will have to overcome a very tough draw.
When Tommy took on the top free-for-all horses last week, and was a shade unlucky in running only sixth, he started from gate three and enjoyed a sweet trip in the running.
But in the opening race this week, as one of the best performed horses in a band four event, he is landed with the worst draw on the outside of the front line.
And with his main opposition Mach Da Vinci stranded three on the second row, trainer Mark Dux says it will come down to which of the pair gets the best run.
“It’s a tough draw all right but he’s still a top two chance. It will all depend on what happens in the running.”
Tommy Lincoln’s bid to lead last week was thwarted by pole runner Blacksadance who kicked up inside him on a sizzling 26.8 first quarter. He ended up with a one-one trail when Crunch Time looped the field to sit parked at the 700m.
But when driver Shane Graham tried to push out turning for home he was held in when first Crunch Time rolled out in front of him then Colt Thirty One came alongside.
“He did run up on to the back of (runner-up) Crunch Time and, while he wasn’t bolting, the way he hit the line he’d have finished closer if he’d been outside that horse,” Dux said.
As it was, with nowhere to go, Tommy Lincoln finished just 5.4 metres from the all-the-way winner Blacksadance who clocked a swift mile rate of 1:51.8 for the 1660 metres.
“And Shane said if he’d drawn inside Blacksadance he’d have won.”
On Saturday night, top junior Angus Garrard is back at the helm and Dux says he won’t be able to simply blast forward over the 2138 metres.
“There are a couple inside him who have good gate speed and one who will certainly park us.
“But he’s going as well as anything in the race and even if he has to sit parked he’ll be right in it again.”
Tommy Lincoln has racked up four wins and a third in just seven starts in Queensland for Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street and their partners Ian Middleton, Shannon and Brenda Flay, Ian, Kathy and Daniel Parkinson, Debbie Sparks, Ray Menzies and Denis Ebert.
Tommy Lincoln races at 7.37pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Third time lucky for Wave’s little bro Omaha Lincoln who finally debuts at Auckland
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
Update: Scratched
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
