Leo Lincoln … “he feels like a good horse.”
Drop in class and draw upgrade points to Leo Lincoln earning a cheque at Cambridge
By Barry Lichter • 8 August 2023
Leo Lincoln looks well placed to earn his first cheque for Lincoln Farms at Cambridge on Thursday night.
While the two-year-old hasn’t flattered in three runs for trainer Ray Green at Auckland, he looks to have an easier assignment in the fifth race for his first visit to the Waikato.
“The drop in class and decent draw makes him a contender,” says Green.
Whereas Leo Lincoln has been handicapped by draws of nine and seven in two of his starts, he gets a significant upgrade to three this week.
“I’m sure he’ll get out OK and, barring bad luck, I’d like to think he can earn a cheque this time.”
Leo Lincoln finished eight lengths from winner Tualou last week, driver Andre Poutama doing a skilled job at negotiating heavy traffic before switching in for a run in the home straight.
“I thought he should have run on a bit better but he was beaten by much better horses than he meets this time.
“I thought he’d have done better by now because he feels like a nice horse but we probably chucked him in the deep end a bit soon.
“He struggled for a while but then he lifted his game almost overnight.”
Green is hoping Leo Lincoln can show the same sort of ability that his close relative Alta Intrigue produced for the stable a few years ago.
His dam Alta Valencia is a half sister to Alta Intrigue who racked up four races and 10 seconds for Green and was placed in the 2017 Northern Derby behind Raukapuka Ruler and Ultimate Machete before his sale to Western Australia were he won another 10 races.
Lincoln Cove … three wide with no cover for the entire trip last start. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.Lincoln Cove (Downbytheseaside - Everlasting Grace), who comes from a prolific Woodlands Stud family himself, has yet to inspire in two runs but as Green points out he hasn’t really had a fair crack yet.
On debut, from an inside second row draw, he was last turning for home and passed three in the run home.
And last start, from seven, he was trapped three wide the entire way, with no cover.
“He’s been inconvenienced each time and from the second line draw he’ll need a bit of luck again.”
Green’s third runner on the night, Beaudiene Rocknroll, has another bad draw (seven) in the eighth race but Green hinted he’d be going foward from seven.
“He doesn’t like it in behind. He likes rolling along. That seems to be how he goes best.
“I’ll leave it to Andre but we’ll probably try to get handy if we can.”
Beaudiene Rocknroll’s best effort in eight starts was at Cambridge in June when he speared to the front from six and cleared out to win by three lengths.
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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.”
