Larry Lincoln scores on debut at Cambridge. He returns there on Wednesday night and gets the same handy draw.
Cambridge best: Larry’s a fast customer and just needed that fresh-up run
By Barry Lichter • 7 July 2020
With a run under his belt, expect the speedy pacer Larry Lincoln to be hard to beat at Cambridge on Wednesday night.
Lincoln Farms’ three-year-old meets a weaker field than the one he faced last week at Auckland when having his first race for nearly eight months.
And he has drawn perfectly in three, meaning new driver David Butcher should have no trouble finding the early lead.
Zachary Butcher, who is committed to his own horse Whisky Neat on Wednesday, never had to buzz up Larry Lincoln at the start at Alexandra Park, crossing untested from wide on the gate to lead, before taking a trail behind stablemate Man Of Action.
The Sweet Lou colt ran out of condition round the home bend after which Butcher didn’t push him.
Trainer Ray Green said Butcher reported he simply ran out of puff.
“You’d expect him to be right there this time. He’s a very capable horse who has quite a bit of speed.
“He doesn’t need to be gassed out of the gate - he probably burned too much petrol last time - and if he can find a nice trip, he’ll be very potent with his speed.
“They won’t go as fast as at Auckland (stablemate American Dealer clocked 2:43.4 for the 2200 metres) and of course he turned his debut at Cambridge into a demolition job.”
Larry Lincoln was sore and was spelled immediately afterwards, Green giving him plenty of time to get over his soft bones and growing pains.
While Apieceoflou (race three) didn’t flatter on debut at Auckland, when he was slow away then broke in the run home, Green is predicting a much better showing this time.
“He just didn’t know what to do when they kicked at Auckland last week but he’s trained on well since then and I think he’ll go well.”
David Butcher takes over the reins from Andrew Drake.
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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.”
