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.”
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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.”
