Our tough Tommy’s ready to add to A$50,000 won in last campaign in Brisbane

Tommy Lincoln hasn’t raced for three months but Queensland trainer Mark Dux is confident he will still acquit himself well at Albion Park on Saturday night.

Lincoln Farms’ tough five-year-old lines up in the fourth race, a $20,000 free-for-all over his favoured 2138 metres, from a perfect draw of two, which Dux says should see him in the money.

“We’ll cross the one, be in front, then I’ll play it by ear. I’ll see how he’s travelling and how much pressure they put on us.”

Dux says he’d be more confident with Tommy Lincoln had he been race fit like the two favourites, L L Cool J and Governor Jujon who ran the quinella last week in a swift 1:51.2 mile rate for 1660 metres.

“Those other two have race fitness on us but Tommy is a place chance for sure. He’s done enough in preparation for this to race well.”

Dux has trialled Tommy Lincoln twice in recent weeks.

“He had a quiet one the first week when fourth but last time I let him run home.”

Tommy Lincoln was driven hard to lead and fought strongly behind eventual winner Manila Playboy, who came off his back and ran closing sectionals of 54.8 and 26.5 to record a 1:53.1 mile rate and win by 1.6 metres.

While that might sound very fast for a trial, Dux says you can’t go in too underdone against the horses Tommy now faces.

“Tommy’s come through the trial well and this race will be a good pipe opener for him. They’re two nice horses he’s up against but Tommy’s no slouch and he’s not that far behind them.”

Dux points to Tommy’s run in September when he finished second to Will The Wizard in a 1:50.6 mile rate.

Dux reports Tommy has come back big and strong after his first four-month campaign in Quuensland when he raced 16 times and racked up five wins, five placings and A$50,000 in earnings.

“He needed a break. You’d love to race forever but you just can’t at the rate they’re going, it takes its toll going that fast every week.

“He had a couple of weeks off and has been back in work for 10 weeks. I’m really happy with him. I’ve had no dramas and he’s training well, but whatever he does this week he’ll improve on.”

Dux says Tommy will be even better placed next week in another $20,000 race for band two to band four horses, meaning the free-for-allers can’t run.

“Saturday’s race will tighten him up nicely.”

Lincoln Farms’ stablemate Captain Nemo had been coming along well in a new preparation too until he got sick.

“He got some sort of virus - he started running a temperature and his legs swelled up - so I gave him a week off.”

Tommy Lincoln races at 10.10pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.