Ray Green holds the Golden Trophy after Tyson’s last, and biggest, win at Auckland. PHOTO: Therese Davis/Race Images.
Bags packed for Aussie - Ray’s ‘real racehorse’ Tyson sold to Albion Park boss
By Barry Lichter • 5 February 2026
Iron pacer Tyson has been sold to Queensland and co-trainer Ray Green admits he’ll be sorry to see him go.
The Art Major four-year-old, whom Green describes as ‘a real racehorse’, has been bought by Albion Park chairman Greg Mitchell and is destined for the Brisbane stable of Grant Dixon.
“He’d be one of our better horses to go to Brisbane,” Green said.
“He won’t set the world on fire but he’ll give them a lot of fun and they’ll be able to race him regularly.
“He just thrives on racing. He has a tremendous heart rate recovery so you can back him up as often as you like.”
That’s exactly what Green did last year, racing Tyson 27 times - including three times in July, five times in August, every week through September and October, three times in November and each week in December.
Tyson ranges alongside Debbie Lincoln near the finish of the $50,000 Golden Gait Three-Year-Old. PHOTO: Therese Davis/Race Images.And it was in that last month, after an ultra busy six months that Tyson scored his best win in the $50,000 Golden Gait Three-Year-Old over stablemate Debbie Lincoln whom he’s ironically sure to meet in Brisbane, also her new home.
In all his 36 starts at two and three, Tyson finished further back than fifth only nine times.
In all he notched five wins and 11 placings, earning $90,860 for breeder Pat Laboyrie and Green who liked the look of the horse when inspecting him in a paddock.
Green said you’d go a long way to find a more genuine racehorse than Tyson who loved nothing better than doing it hard outside the leader - “and he’s never taken a lame step.”
But Tyson was now on the cusp of having to race against the best horses in the north.
“He’s not capable of sitting outside a Jolimont or Merlin and winning.
“We’ll find it hard to get suitable races for him here now so it made sense to move him on.
“They’ve got a better system over there so he’ll get plenty of opportunities. And he’ll suit their style of racing - they tend to launch them.”
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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.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 5: Lincoln Wave
7.32pm
“He had an easy run last week and he can go a lot faster than that. He should be hard to beat. It won’t matter if he doesn’t find the lead from six, he’ll be just as effective coming from off the pace. He’s a pretty classy horse, classier than most of those against him.”
