Charity horse Kevin Kline looks a good actor and Ray’s pretty hopeful for Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 14 November 2024
Kevin Kline ($2.80) doesn’t have to be a champion but Lincoln Farms’ racing manager Ian Middleton has a special reason for wanting him to be a good winner for his new syndicate of owners.
The lightly tried two-year-old resumes from a break at Cambridge on Friday night, the early favourite for the seventh race, the Night Of Champions Pace, after two strong workout wins at Pukekohe.
Originally leased from breeder Pat Laboyrie, Lincoln Farms exercised its right of purchase on the Always B Miki gelding before putting together a partnership to race him.
And foremost among the big team is a group, headed by Jason Deane, which bid $30,000 when Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street donated half a horse to raise money for charity.
The Stroke Foundation benefitted from the generous gesture at the fourth Champions Charity Lunch in Auckland but the first pacer earmarked for the newbies, Anna Lincoln, never made it to the races.
Middleton, determined to give the successful bidders a good experience, diverted their share instead to a youngster showing plenty of promise, Kevin Kline.
A long-time winning combination, Ray Green and Maurice McKendry, who team up with Kevin Kline.And when he resumes fom a three-month break on Friday night he will also have a number of other Lincoln Farms regular supporters cheering for him including Trevor Casey, Priscilla Edmunds, Lance Myocevich, Margaret Rabbitt, the Red & Blue Syndicate, Ray Menzies and Dave and Daphne Jones.
“I think he’s a worthy horse to be in,” said trainer Ray Green. “And from what I’ve seen, I’d say he’s the one to beat on Friday. He certainly deserves to be favourite as the others have been around for a while.”
Green says Kevin Kline is a completely different conveyance from the one who over-raced and galloped when sixth in his only two starts in August.
“He’s a big, gangly horse who has time written all over him but he’s getting stronger all the time and he’s doing everything right now.
“The raw ability is there - he’s got a bit of speed - and he’s been running good fractions at the trials and getting home well.”
In his October 31 workout over 2050 metres at Pukekohe, Kevin Kline led all the way for Maurice McKendry to beat race rival Makorori, sprinting home in 57.7 and 28.
And on November 7, the combination whipped round to lead after 700 metres and was untested to beat Tyron’s Connoisseur by one and three-quarter lengths, clocking 57.6 and 27.
“I think he’s a pretty tidy horse,” Green said.
Kevin Kline is the eighth and last foal out of the six-race winner Matai Mies, her best being Emily Blunt and Happy Place who both won eight races.
More news in Harness
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
