Tony Herlihy salutes on Simply Sam after he beat Zarias at Auckland last July. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.
Class drop, small field, Zac on, everything points to Simply Sam scoring at Cambridge
By Barry Lichter • 31 May 2023
Simply Sam’s ordinary looking formline disguises how well he’s going and against weaker opposition at Cambridge on Friday night he’s a terrific winning chance.
A rating 65 pacer on a R51 front, Simply Sam starts from a 25 metre handicap over the sprint trip of 2200 metres, never an easy task, but check out just how well he’s been racing.
In five runs this prep Simply Sam has:
* Finished just 1.6 lengths fourth at Auckland last week after being parked for the last 1300 metres in a much stronger field behind Chimichurri, Magic Four and Montana DJ.
* Run sixth at Auckland on April 28, rated a certainty beaten by Green when he tried to mount a run from last on the home turn, meeting roadblocks wherever he went, but still running the best equal closing sectionals in the race. He finished hard on the back of runner-up Mr Kaplan in a slick 2:40.2, driver Blair Orange not even activating the deafeners.
* Finished ninth at Auckland on April 21 from the outside of the second row, forced to make his run three then four wide and unable to make ground on the leaders in the straight, winner Bach clocking a slick 2:39.2.
* Run third in his last appearance at Cambridge on April 14 when he started from a 20 metre handicap in the Country Cup (2700m). He was forced four wide when mounting his run and came even wider on the home turn, charging down the stretch to be beaten only a head and a neck.
* Run 10th first-up, against the cup horses at Cambridge on April 6 when he led the Waikato Flying Mile field, absorbing huge pressure before weakening behind Self Assured, Copy That, Akuta and Old Town Road in a 1:52 sizzle.
The winner of six races, Simply Sam stands out against his rivals on Friday night, Green declaring him hard fit.
“I think he’s a good winning chance. I didn’t want him put in the race too soon last week because he hadn’t raced for a while but I think Blair (Orange) thought they were going too slow and he ended up parked for the last 1300 metres.
”He’s well down in class here and, even though he’s on 25 metres, it’s only a small field.”
Top tactician Zachary Butcher takes the reins on Simply Sam for only the second time.
Butcher will also be in the hot seat on Green’s own horse My Copy who looks the next best chance of Lincoln Farms’ five starters.
The four-year-old half-brother of stable star Copy That has endured a string of poor draws in his last five starts, with 11, 10, 12, 10 and six.
Green is confident Butcher can get My Copy out fast from the pole on Friday night and stay handy in the running.
“He’s going good races with no luck and looks a chance.”
More news in Harness
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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.”
