Front row draw gives The Bull Pen an edge over stablemate - and he could be the real deal
By Barry Lichter • 24 April 2019
New recruit The Bull Pen just gets the nod over Governor’s Bay at Auckland on Friday night, courtesy of his better draw.
But trainer Ray Green admits it’s hard to line up the the ex-southerner’s form and, until he races, he won’t really know how good he is.
The Bull Pen arrived at Lincoln Farms only 11 days ago, along with five-win trotter Ace Commander, the latest in a line of horses sent north by Australian owner Merv Butterworth.
And while he has not run at a workout or trial up here, Green says The Bull Pen “feels like he could be the real deal.’’
“He’s a plain bay, nice sized, and I think he could do quite well up here but we won’t know until he races.’’
The Bull Pen, by Tintin In America, is relatively lightly raced for a six-year-old and boasts a respectable record of four wins and 10 placings from only 27 starts.
He’s raced only twice since Butterworth bought him last year and performed with real credit each time for trainer Lauren Pearson.
First-up at Winton on March 23 he ran into the ultra exciting U May Cullect and he was best of his rivals, albeit eight lengths away, clocking a mile in 1:53.7.
And last start at Invercargill, just 18 days ago, he won over 2200 metres in a slick 2:41.5 after trailing then moving round to lead 800 metres out.
Governor’s Bay … relying on luck from the second row but racing in great heart.From gate four on Friday, driver David Butcher should give him every chance while Green says it’s hard to know just where Governor’s Bay will end up in the running from two on the second row.
Governor’s Bay, also owned by Butterworth and his wife Meg, ran a huge fifth last start on mile night at Auckland, just two noses from third.
After starting from 12, Butcher pushed forward and was three wide, using petrol on a 28.5 first quarter, until crossing over to lead at the bell.
Given little peace by the parked horse, Parker, he was collared only in the last 100 metres, fighting bravely to the finish in 1:55.9.
That run was only his second for Green and followed a terrific first-up win when he enjoyed a cushy trail and scored in 2:42.8.
In-form stable driver Andre Poutama gets the reins on Friday.
“It’s hard to pick between them but The Bull Pen seems much more tractible than Governor’s Bay who can lock on one rein.”
More news in Harness
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Ray cautions punters with no lead this time for Jekyll and Hyde colt Prince Lincoln
Two (not so) secret weapons help Lincoln Farms to $29,287 payday at Cambridge
Deb dresses her latest ‘Copy’ weanling in white and he delivers a Major coup
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
