Brisbane downer: Super trial then hamstring injury takes Tommy out of play
By Barry Lichter • 7 July 2023
Impressive trialist Tommy Lincoln will be scratched from Albion Park on Saturday night after hurting himself in the paddock yesterday.
Trainer Mark Dux had been looking forward to seeing Tommy Lincoln resume after his electric 1:51.8 trial win on the course last week, when he downed Bondi Lockdown by 15 metres, untouched.
But the horse was feeling so well, bucking and playing, Dux suspects he slipped in his paddock and did the splits.
“He’s strained or torn his hamstring muscle so we can’t run him. He’s walking OK but he’s quite tender and doesn’t like you touching it.”
The injury to the muscle, which runs down from the tail and provides much of the driving force, needs time to settle and heal, says Dux. “It could be week or two, but it’s impossible to tell. It’s just a shame he’s done it now rather than a month ago.”
Mark Dux … Tommy Lincoln had come back better than ever.Tommy Lincoln, who hasn’t raced for just on three months, had come back better than ever, Dux said.
“I was really happy with his trial. He got home in 26.7 and did it so easily, Mathew (Neislon) never moved on him.”
The only consolation is that Tommy’s barrier on Saturday night would probably have taken him out of play anyway.
Emergency for the A$53,000 Mr Feelgood feature, where he drew the outside of the gate, he also had a bad second row alley in his alternative race, similarly stacked with in-form pacers.
“He would have raced well but it would all have been down to luck.”
Unlucky run
The injury to Tommy Lincoln continues an unlucky run for Lincoln Farms’ Queensland team with Argyle still recovering from damage to his heel.
The horse missed work when an abscess blew out in May and, after he resumed in early June and disappoined in running seventh, it was discovered a good proportion of his foot was rotten inside.
“We had to peel a lot of it away and it’s taken time to grow back. This is the first week he’s been walking sound.”
On a more positive note, Captain Nemo is nearing racing trim again after taking a long time to get over being gelded.
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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.”
