Draw takes Tommy Lincoln out of play in the Guineas at Cambridge on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 20 February 2020
Tommy Lincoln will need a lot of luck to feature in Friday night’s Waikato Guineas, says trainer Ray Green.
Despite being the lowest equal rated in the field, Tommy Lincoln has the worst draw - four on the second line.
And with two of the highest rated runners, On A Roll and Need You Now drawn one and two, Tommy Lincoln will need all of driver David Butcher’s skills to get into the action.
“We’re not holding our breath that’s for sure,” says Green. “It’s hard to predict what sort of trip he’ll get but he certainly won’t be leading like last time and we’ll be looking for a lot of luck.”
Last Friday at Auckland Tommy Lincoln sped to the front from the inside draw and looked likely to justify Green’s confidence in him until a lap from home when Ferritt’s Sister slung her hook and savaged him continually.
He did well to hang in there for so long and was collared only at the 100 metre mark, not knocked around by Butcher when beaten, to be only two lengths from winner Be My Rock in a busy finish.
Tommy Lincoln had been trialling very well in the run-up to that race, his first for two and a half months, and will naturally take benefit from it.
Green believes Tommy Lincoln, winner of three of his nine starts, could be in for a good season now he has strengthened and plans to test him in the Northern Derby Prelude at Auckland on Friday week.
Green has scratched Man Of Action from the Waikato Guineas after he drew one from the outside.
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.”
