Obadiah Dragon (Nathan Delany) outfinishes Bettor Grunter on Tuesday. PHOTO: Jack McKenzie.
Dragon breathes fire again at Manawatu and there look to be more wins in store
By Barry Lichter • 13 March 2024
Obadiah Dragon’s owners know he’s no champion but the way he scored at Manawatu on Tuesday suggested he has more wins in store.
And though he steps up in class and distance there on Thursday night Ian Middleton and his mates Ian Harris and Paul Humphries are looking forward to seeing how he fares.
Middleton, Lincoln Farms’ business manager, was taken by the toughness Obadiah Dragon showed to overcome a tough trip, back and wide then forced to improve even wider round the home turn.
So to outfinish 90-start veteran Bettor Grunter by a neck and record the fastest of five races run over 2000 metres on the night wasn’t the worst effort.
His 2:29.4 clocking in the rating 35 to 44 field was 0.8 of a second faster than Avenger ran in the rating 44 to 49 event and easily quicker than the tightest class race of the night when now 16-race winner Superstar Legend did best in a 2:34.1 four-horse walk-fest.
Nathan Delany brings Obadiah Dragon back. PHOTO: Jack McKenzie.“He had a terrible trip and was still good enough to still get the job done,” Middleton said. “On that, I don’t see why he couldn’t win a few more races.
“Ray (Green) always said he was a nice little horse who would win races given time and, while he ain’t no champion, he’s a much better horse this time in.
“He settles well so I don’t think an extra 500 metres will worry him on Thursday.”
Middleton said while his partners were thrilled with the win, following on from his 15-length annihilation on the course last November, the three-year-old Fear The Dragon colt’s future probably lay in Australia.
“He’s on the market, like all our horses, and if he’s not sold we’ll more than likely send him to Brisbane. I think he’s got enough speed to stick with them.”
Driver Nathan Delany gets barrier five on Thursday night, one further out, and meets a useful field of rating 46 to 52 horses.
More news in Harness
All hail Debbie, the new speed queen of Alex Park, as she tackles a mile from the pole
Ray reaches for the half hopples to keep Whats Up The Hill trotting at Cambridge on Thursday
Debbie Lincoln’s sizzling win has namesake Debbie Green excited about the future
A Moose in his happy place is a fast Moose but programming hurdles lie ahead
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Whats Up The Hill
4.59pm
“Fergie wasn’t exuding praise for him after his last start when he galloped away. But we’ve taken everything off him this time, no half hopples, no fixed deafeners, and that’s the same as when he won at Auckland last prep.”
Race 5: Lincoln La Moose
6.45pm
“The winner had it handed to him last time, when he went only 2:45.9, and that meant he outsprinted our boy with a 56.3 last half. When we won the previous week he went 2:40. He likes to roll along, so it will be tempo dependent. It’s his first go from a stand and only second at 2700 metres so we’ll find out if he likes it.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Debbie Lincoln
6.49pm
“We’ve never really tried to leave the gate with her but, from the inside draw, she has the advantage and should lead or trail. You’d have to say on her last run she’s the best chance of our trio.”
Race 3: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.49pm
“He’s thriving and looking very well. He was only just beaten last time and, from two, should get every chance.”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
6.49pm
“His closing sectionals were very fast last week and he never goes a bad race. The draw isn’t as desirable, but the small field helps.”
Race 4: Tyson
7.21pm
“He had to do a lot of work last week. You can never count him out because he’s so tough.”
