Brave Tommy off the canvas and back for round number two after brutal track record KO
By Barry Lichter • 15 September 2022
A brutal track record-run race last week took its toll on Tommy Lincoln but trainer Mark Dux says he’s ready to go again on Saturday night.
For the first time in Queensland, Dux said Tommy really knew he’d had a run when trying to chase the runaway Blacksadance who, incredibly, paced a mile rate of 1:49.2 for the 1660 metres, slicing eight tenths of a second off his existing Albion Park record.
Dux didn’t know if Tommy would even recover in time to race this week when he put in a nomination on Monday, anticipating the field might fall away this week.
“But I’ve been nice and easy on him this week and he’s feeling pretty good now.”
Dux correctly predicted Tommy would land the one-one sit behind Blacksadance last Saturday night but his guess that Tommy might get dropped on the home turn proved a little astray when all of 600 metres out, commentator Chris Barsby called “boom boom time.”
“Tommy was left out chasing him just too far from home,” Dux said. “He put three-quarters of a length on the inside horse but in the straight he was on his hands and knees.”
Dux said he couldn’t believe Blacksadance was able to sit parked and run his rivals into the ground with blistering sectionals of 26.4, 28.2, 27 and 27.6.
“The 2138 metres this week is a bit further than Tommy likes but he won’t have to run such brutal sectionals.
“From a nice alley (three) we’ll go forward and I’d be surprised if anything inside tried to park us so he should find the fence.
“I think he’s a really good place chance.”
Dux believes former Lincoln Farms’ flagbearer Northview Hustler is the one to beat on the way he ran home last week for second. Brendan Barnes, son of majority owner Al Barnes, this week took over training the eight-year-old who is looking to score win No. 21 at his pet distance.
“Will The Wizard is probably the next best chance but, like Tommy, he’s not as strong over 2138.”
Tommy Lincoln races at 9.23pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
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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.”
