Tommy Lincoln (Mark Dux) leads in his Queensland debut. He will be handled by Anthony Butt tonight. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Front-running Tommy Lincoln looks to have tonight’s race at Albion Park on a plate
By Barry Lichter • 9 July 2021
Tommy Lincoln looks set to jump straight back into the winners’ circle at Albion Park tonight, drawn to lead a mediocre field.
Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green says you can put the line through his last start when, from the second row, he had to work three wide to the death and weakened to seventh.
“Sitting parked just doesn’t suit him,” says Green. “He got pulling too hard. He’ll go much better tonight and should lead easily from two.
“He’s definitely the one to beat.”
From the same spot on the gate in his Queensland debut Tommy Lincoln made a real statement, powering to the front and winning, untested, in a mile rate of 1:53.8 for the 1660 metres, with the highly touted Ranger Bomb 11.5 metres in arrears.
Green says Tommy Lincoln is in good shape now after an issue earlier in the week when he showed signs of lameness.
“We had a bit of a problem with his feet but the farrier sorted that.
“We had pads on his feet but they were pressing hard on his soles so we took them off and he seems fine now.”
Tommy Lincoln, the winner of nine races and more than $100,000, opened a $1.22 favourite for tonight’s fourth event with the former Gavin Smith-trained Kiwi Bettor Call Me, a one race winner, second fancy at $7.50.
Tommy Lincoln races at 9.24pm NZ time at Albion Park tonight.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
4.52pm
“She did a good job last week at Auckland. Throwing her in the deep end seems to have toughened her up a bit. She’s getting stronger all the time. This is a big drop in class and she’s a chance from a better gate (three).”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.20pm
“If the real Prince turned up he’d absolutely be hard to beat. If he leads, as he should do from two, he’s a different horse.”
Race 3: Major Copy
5.54pm
“Maurice just nursed him around on debut. He was stepping over tyre marks on the track so he didn’t want to launch him into the open too soon. We’ll put a shadow roll on him this time to stop that and I can see him going a lot better from the inside draw.”
Race 3: Jessie Lincoln
5.54pm
“I’m not saying she can’t win but it will be hard for Fergie to find a good trip from the draw. She’ll need a lot of luck but she can be right in it if things go her way as she’s training well.”
Race 5: Lincoln Dealer
6.49pm
“He’s been a slow developing horse and you can’t drive him pretty, he won’t let you, as he’s a bit of a hot head. Maurice will launch him and see where he ends up.”
Race 5: Spirit Of God
6.49pm
“She got tired late last time and started hanging a bit (hitting a marker) but I thought she went OK. She did a bit early (from a wide draw) and was still there at the finish so she’s going to win a race. You never know with second line draws but it’s usually a decent impairment.”
Race 7: Lincoln Maree
7.40pm
“She never runs a bad race. She has a big motor for a little filly and should be right in the fray.”
Race 7: Angelic Copy
7.40pm
“Maurice said she foundered a bit when they took off, and got three or four lengths behind, but she didn’t lose any more ground after that and held her place. So the run wasn’t as bad as it looked and she’ll be improved.”
Race 8: Lincoln Wave
8.14pm
“It was a non-event last time (from a stand) and he’s a good horse who will be vying for the lead from five and deserves to be favourite.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.14pm
“Peter (Ferguson) said he didn’t feel as sharp last week as in the past so I’ve given him a little freshen-up with a light week and he should go better.”
