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
Wednesday at Cambridge
Race 3: Spiritual Bliss
1.10pm
“You can’t fault what she’s done up here and she’s trained on really well since Manawatu. She seems to have a good motor and can carry her speed a long way. It’s a bit of a step-up on Wednesday, and she’s drawn out a bit, but she should be right in the fray.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lover
1.45pm
“It’s a huge drop in class for him on what he’s been racing. The Purdon horse Crippa Max looks the one to beat on his trial but I’m picking we’ll finish in the first three at worst. He’s very honest and does nothing wrong.”
Race 6: Lincoln Downs
2.55pm
“She got skittled early last time when one galloped in front of her, and that didn’t help. It would be nice to see her get a good trip, with no incidents, and see what she can do. She’s no superstar but she tries hard.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
4.31pm
“It’s his first race for more than four months and I’m picking he’ll need the run. It was a toss-up whether we went to the trials, but he’d probably have had no opposition, so it made sense to drop him in here. He’s training well and seems in good shape but whatever he does, he’ll improve on.”
