Big-spending Mike Tanev snares The Rascal and he’s off to Canada next week

Improved pacer The Rascal has been scratched from Auckland on Friday night and will do his future racing in Canada.

The three-year-old has been bought by big-spending Toronto owner Mike Tanev and will fly to Australia on the first leg of his journey on Monday.

Tanev owns MT Stables and is the largest single owner of southern hemisphere standardbreds in North America, having bought numerous good performers in recent years.

Tanev made an offer for the Sweet Lou colt who has racked up a succession of good efforts recently and Lincoln Farms’ business manager Ian Middleton, part-owner with John and Lynne Street, knew it made sense to accept it.

“He’s a nice little horse who tries hard but once he moves up another grade it will be difficult for him and he’ll be running only for place money.”

The Rascal, a mere $6000 weanling buy, had originally been on trainer Ray Green’s transfer list, with a rough gait hampering him, but Green and his training partner Nathan Delany improved him so much he managed to rack up a win and six placings from only nine starts, unlucky in several of them.

Debbie Lincoln is another defection from Lincoln Farms’ team on Friday night, Green reporting she has again succumbed to muscle tie-up, a problem which curtailed her last preparation.

It will be left, then, to Sugar Ray Lincoln ($4.50) to fly the green flag in the third race, bookies opening him a strong second favourite behind Andretti ($1.60) after an unlucky last-start fifth.

Sugar Ray finished hard on the back of the winner Midnight Miki last week, driver Peter Ferguson starved for racing room up the home straight. Despite that, the three-year-old was clocked over his last mile in 1:56.7, closing in 55.9 and 27 flat.

Green was pleased to see the horse back up his great recent return to form and declared him “a decent winning chance.”

Tyson ($4.40) slots straight into the same category in the opening race, another who was blocked with nowhere to go last week when fourth to Big Herb.

“Ferg said he was full of running but he couldn’t get a run. He’s pretty versatile and should go close again.”

Kevin Kline ($5) is also a solid third favourite in the sixth race, courtesy of his consistency.

“I have a lot of time for Kev. He’s a very nice horse, which you can see by the form line.

“I’m sure he’ll be thereabouts again, even against Mantra Blue and Lady Of The Light.”

The most intriguing race of the night is the 13-strong Sires’ Stakes heat for two-year-old fillies, albeit dominated in the betting by the Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained Alecto ($1.80).

Lincoln Linda gets a pat from a young fan, with a chilled-out Angelic Copy in the background.Hot head’s good draw

Lincoln Farms’ hot-head Lincoln Linda ($8) opened the third equal favourite, bookies obviously figuring she can follow the favourite through from the inside of the second row.

“If she can get a run on the favourite’s back, she could get some of it as she’s a very honest filly,” Green said.

“She hasn’t really settled down since her last prep - she’ll always be a little hot, it’s her nature - but she’s trialling well enough.”

The Bettor’s Delight filly has had two workouts and a trial to ready her for Friday night and, in the latest a week ago, she issued a good challenge to racenight rival War Cry after sitting parked for the last 800 metres.

Unbeaten stablemate Angelic Copy ($17) hasn’t raced since winning the first Young Guns heat in March after which she was stalled by tying-up and a virus.

“She seems pretty good now but there’s obviously room for improvement.”

While likely to need the run, Green said her good four draw should see her settle handy enough.

“I’m picking she’ll go pretty well. She’s a very nice filly.”

Angelic Copy raced like a real professional in her hat-trick of wins earlier in the year, albeit in fields of only four, five and six.

Rivergirl Bella ($81) rounds out Lincoln Farms’ trio in the heat, Green saying she appears to be a lot better than in her last campaign.

“She seems to be getting round the corners well now that she’s a bit stronger and she trialled super behind Miki Doo.”