Debbie lands Golden draw at last in her bid to give Sampson a haircut at the Park

Finally, Debbie Lincoln has a good draw, giving co-trainer Ray Green the confidence his speedy filly can topple hot favourite Captain Sampson in Friday night’s $50,000 Golden Gait 3yo Pace at Auckland.

The Lather Up filly’s formline hides some spectacular recent runs, from bad alleys, not the least her last-start fifth behind Francent in the Queen Of Hearts.

Driver Peter Ferguson was forced to mount a solo three wide run from the rear with Debbie Lincoln last Friday night, and was still slugging it out at the finish when she actually lapped on to the breaking fourth-placed favourite Arafura.

And it was the same story in her previous start in the NZ Pacing Oaks at Addington when she came from an impossible home turn position to finish fifth to Arafura.

In both races, Debbie Lincoln spoiled her chances by pacing roughly and losing her momentum on the home turn.

“Whichever way she goes, she’s been getting in on the corners, so this week we’ve added a Murphy blind,” Green said.

“It’s more a mental thing than anything and she seems to have handled it OK in training this week.

“I thought she went super again last week with no luck and we’ve got a decent draw for a change so you have to like her chances.”

From two on the gate, it’s not hard to see Debbie Lincoln finding the front, which is what she did the last time she met Captain Sampson at Auckland, succumbing to the up-and-comer only late by half a length in a 1:54.3 mile.

But Captain Sampson had only five rivals to get round that night, not the full field (of 12) he lines up in this week.

And Debbie Lincoln has already proved she has the rare speed only the best possess, one start earlier smashing the Alexandra Park 1700 metre record for a three-year-old, both male and female, when rating 1:53.5.

If Captain Sampson runs into any traffic holdups from his outside second row draw on Friday night, Debbie should be there to capitalise, hence her opening odds of only $3.

Stalemates Tyson ($9.50) and Sugar Ray Lincoln ($31) will need a lot to go their way if they are to feature in the same race.

Tyson was game when running third last week to Captain Sampson and Greased Lightnin, not suited by the pedestrian 2:45.7 time for the 2200 metres.

“Those two are strong sprinters and given it was only a sprint up the straight, I was impressed by the way he hung on to them. But he’ll need things to go his way from six.”

“Sugar Ray weakened from the trail last week but it was his first run for a while and he probably needed another trial. But we thought we might as well race him to set him up for this week. The outside draw of eight doesn’t help though.”

Only five runners

Green can’t believe Lincoln Farms has three of the only five runners in the two-year-old $50,000 race - “What are people doing with their two-year-olds, leaving them in the paddock?”

But, while Prince Lincoln ($7), Johnny Lincoln ($19) and Lincoln Lover ($51) are the three outsiders, Green isn’t ready to put up the white flag to last week’s unlucky Cyclone Rebel ($1.20) and the promising American Falcon ($5).

“I thought Prince Lincoln went really well last week. He’d had only one trial and was a bit fresh so it was understandable that he got tired the last bit.”

After looping the field at speed down the back straight to sit outside hot pot Princess Of Savoy, Prince Lincoln fought on bravely until gassing out at the 100, finishing three lengths away in second.

Prince Lincon was credited with easily the fastest closing 800 metres in the race, his 56.5 all of eight-tenths of a second faster than the winner.

“That will tighten him up and I’m expecting him to race well. He’s trained on well since.

“Prince has the wood on Johnny Lincoln, but he’ll still go well. He found the line well last week. It was his first run for a while too, and his first as a gelding.

“Lincoln Lover’s not as sharp as the other two but he’s a game little bugger. He’ll win races for sure.”