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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

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.Tommy Lincoln races at 9.24pm NZ time at Albion Park tonight.

Our runners this week

Friday night at Auckland

Sammy Lincoln, Lincoln Wave.

Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Wednesday night at Cambridge

Race 1: Lincoln Maree
5.11pm

“She’s finding her feet and was a bit unlucky at Taupo. She put in a few rough ones out of the gate - she was like that early in her prep and could just jump out of it - but she’s generally doing things right now. She trained well on Saturday and, with the right run, could run top three.”

Race 3: The Night Fox
6pm

“He won really well on the second day at Hawera and if he races anything like he’s training he’ll be hard to beat. He ran a 27.3 quarter during the week and I was just sitting on him. I’ll tell Craig to go forward, set an even tempo and cut him loose at the 600. I think he’s our best of the night.”

Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.35pm

“Hopefully he’s improved since Taupo when Fergie drove him a treat in front. I actually think he’s better coming off something’s back but I’ll leave it up to Fergie. He’s up a bit in grade but has the right draw to be in it all the way.”

Whales Harness