Back to day racing over a mile, Al’s confident we’ll see the real Lincoln’s Girl on Tuesday
By Barry Lichter • 5 August 2019
Forget the form line, Lincoln’s Girl is a strong winning chance back to her own grade at Albion Park on Tuesday.
And just as importantly as the huge drop in class, is the fact the speedy filly returns to mile racing - during the day.
Though she runs in the final race at 6.21pm local time, it will still be light, the most crucial factor for Lincoln’s Girl, says trainer Al Barnes.
“She’s very highly hung and just seems to go to pieces under lights when the atmosphere is a bit different.
“Nerves get to her and she pulls too hard and chokes down.
“Her half brother Lincoln Road was the same, he really struggled at night when he first came over. The mare seems to breed hot types.”
Barnes says Lincoln’s Girl will eventually get used to it the more she goes round but at the moment the key to her is finding day races over 1660 metres.
Lincoln’s Girl (Hayden Barnes) clocking 1:53.3 at Albion Park in May. PHOTO: Dan Costello.In her last two starts Lincoln’s Girl was out of her comfort zone tackling the best company over 2138 metres in the Queensland Oaks and South East Oaks.
And even though she had her preferred 1660 metre distance in the two starts before that it was again in far stronger company in the heats and final of the Rising Stars.
On Tuesday she reverts to a rating 50 to 55 event and goes in as equal top rater, along with Ask Me and Havana Moon.
While drawn three on the second line, Lincoln’s Girl showed she could overcome that in a trial last Tuesday when she came three wide from the back to find the chair before forging to the front 800 metres from home and beating nine-race winner Bettor Vision comfortably in a 1:55.8 mile rate.
“She’s done well since the trial and I’m confident she’ll be very competitive. She’ll show how good she is.
“How many three-year-old fillies can run 1:53.3 over a mile, sitting in the chair, and do it comfortably?
“I’m surprised she hasn’t sold already given what she’s done but she’ll get back into consistent form again - and then the price will go up!”
Lincoln’s Girl was the seventh highest stake earner for Lincoln Farms in the season just ended, banking $21,127 from four wins.
Lincoln’s Girl races at 8.21pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”
