Draw gives Line Up the edge in Lincoln Farms’ four-pronged assault on the Sires Stakes
By Barry Lichter • 23 October 2019
Trainer Ray Green, like the TAB bookies, believes Line Up’s perfect draw makes him the one to beat in Friday night’s Sires’ Stakes heat at Alexandra Park.
In an early market for the second and final Sires’ Stakes heat in the north, Line Up has opened the $2.60 favourite, with Mighty Looee second favourite at $3 ahead of Green’s Copy That and Barry Purdon’s Bad To The Bone on $5.
Green’s two other runners, Double Or Nothing and Tommy Lincoln, are not fancied at $26.
Green has decided to start all four of his entries, happy that Tommy Lincoln, while not 100% fit yet, deserves his shot and Copy That has improved this week after a disappointing Saturday workout.
Ray Green gives Copy That a hose down after training.“Copy That is fine. I see no reason not to start him. His fast work yesterday was very good, he ran a mile in 2:04 and he and Line Up finished it off nicely together.
“I know Zac was bemoaning Copy That’s performance at the workouts but he seems quite a bit better now and he needs the race to get fit for Christchurch.”
Copy That and Line Up have already qualified for the $170,000 Sires’ Stakes Final on cup day at Addington, November 12.
With Zachary Butcher opting to drive Bad To The Bone, Green has reached for master reinsman Tony Herlihy for Copy That, who will have to overcome the outside gate of eight, no easy task over only a mile.
And that’s primarily why Green favours Line Up, who has shown he has the gate speed to make the most of his barrier two for David Butcher.
“I don’t think there’s anything between the two but I’m very happy with Line Up, he’s looking really good, and coming to his peak at the right time.”
Line Up was well below his best when second at his last start to Copy That, only just making the start line for the first Sires’ Stakes heat at Cambridge after a foot abscess threatened to derail him.
He will be very potent on Friday, leading over a mile.
Double Or Nothing … has scored back-to-back wins and deserves his chance.Green doesn’t believe Double Or Nothing will be disgraced even though he’s stepping up in company.
“Ability wise he’s there, he just hasn’t been strong enough, but you can’t fault what he’s done in his last two starts. He’s worthy of being in the field and is an improver.
“Tommy Lincoln should need the run but he’s pretty rugged, better than I thought he was, and another worthy of taking his place.
“Nothing really stands out and it’s going to be a very tactical race.”
Pair will need lots of luck
Under the preferential barrier draw, Green’s seventh race runners The Empress and Bettor My Dreamz were always going to draw badly but from three and four on the second row they will need plenty of luck to feature over a mile.
“I’m very happy with The Empress, she’s really in the zone at the moment, and from a fitness perspective she’s in better shape than Bettor My Dreamz.
“If she can get any sort of crack at them she’ll be right there.
“The probabilities are against Bettor My Dreamz from out there but it’s horse racing and anything can happen.
“If they get lucky they can certainly get some money.”
More news in Harness
Rivergirl Bella finally delivers - and Phil kicks himself for not being there or having a punt
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
Update: Scratched
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
