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Bettor My Dreamz on a real improving curve and worth watching at Auckland on Friday

Bettor My Dreamz looked an improver for Lincoln Farms when finishing strongly for second at today’s Pukekohe workouts.

The Bettor’s Delight four-year-old dropped to the rear early from his outside draw, was three back on the outer at the bell, still there on the final turn, and powered home for Zachary Butcher to be beaten a length and a half by The Lone Ranger.

Bettor My Dreamz cost himself some momentum in the run home by getting his head round but trainer Ray Green doesn’t expect to see that when he races at Auckland on Friday night.

“That was left-handed today but he’s not so bad right-handed.

“He’s a nice horse, he’s improved a lot lately and he should go well next week.”

The 2050 metre heat was cut out in 2:37, a mile rate of 2:03.3 with the final 800 metres in 58.4 and 400 in 28.4, with pacemaker Peter Forsberg hanging on for third.

Double Or Nothing … lacked killer punch.Double Or Nothing … lacked killer punch.Butcher also eased Double Or Nothing to the back of his 2050 metre heat after starting from the outside but he slotted nicely into the one-one a lap out and looked a real threat when pulled out three wide turning in.

But the just turned three-year-old couldn’t get past Tony Herlihy’s Prince Of Pleasure in the run home and was a length adrift at the post, just shading Turbo.

“Zac felt like he should have run past them in the straight but he did his normal thing,” said Green.

The trip was run in 2:39.4, a mile rate of 2:05.1, with closing sectionals of 58.8 and 29.2.

Lincoln Farms’ only other runner The Bull Pen was in a clump of horses behind Check In at the finish of the rating 60 and faster 2500 metre heat.

The finishing picture was confused by the late break of leader Bare Knuckle, now with Brent Mangos after doing his recent racing in Australia with Kerryn Manning.

Driver Andre Poutama was holding on to The Bull Pen near the finish, as he was hanging in, with the galloping Bare Knuckle just inside him, but he was only one and a quarter lengths from the winner, with two heads separating him, Ball Of Art and Mohs Em Down at the line.

The Bull Pen raced fourth in indian file after making a mistake soon after the standing start, but he settled quickly without losing too much ground.

“He went OK,” said Green of the run which took 3:13, a mile rate of 2:04.2. The leaders closed in 58 and 28.

Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Mark Dux

Mark Dux’s comments

Wednesday night at Redcliffe

Race 1: Captain Nemo
7.17pm NZ time

“It’s a reasonable field, they’re not push-overs, but they’re all beatable. It will all come down to who gets the right trip. If we have something go our way we could get some of it as there’s not a lot between them and I don’t think he’s far off now. We’ve got a bad draw again and there’s a bit of speed inside us so I’ll tell Angus to just play it by ear.”

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Friday night at Auckland

Race 4: Lincoln La Moose
7.32pm

“He’s a pretty good horse. He was still below his best last time at Cambridge - he needed the race - but went very well for second behind King’s Watch. With his ace draw, he should be right up there for Zac (Butcher). He always looked a bit delicate but he’s got tougher.”

Race 4: Obadiah Dragon
7.32pm

“He’ll go a good race but our others look better here. His last run was below par for him so we took a blood off him and he had a bit of a virus going on. He was at the tail end of it but it was enough to stop him.”

Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.32pm

“Even if he’s half a run short, I don’t think it will matter, he’ll still be too good for this lot. He only had a mild virus which came right with treatment and he’s trained on well since. He feels pretty good and if I was betting man, I’d bet him for sure based on his last run, which was massive.”

Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.32pm

“He’s in a ‘coming of age’ phase. He rushed up beside them last start and wanted to lay all over them and give them a hug. But that’s normal coltish behaviour. He does that in training as well, rushes up and switches off. He has a lot of ability but also a few little behaviour traits that we need to get on top of.”

Race 6: My Copy
8.24pm

“It won’t be easy from four on the second row but he’s very honest and, if opportunity knocks, he’ll be right there. If he gets a trip, he’s always ready to pounce.”

Race 9: Tyson
9.39pm

“He should be one of the favourites. The raw ability is there and he’ll definitely win races as he has a bit of speed. How far he will take us we have yet to find out but I thought he did really well last time given the run he had.”

Whales Harness