Ears exposed but don’t let Tyson bite you on debut at Cambridge on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 3 July 2024
Trainer Ray Green isn’t expecting Tyson to deliver a knockout blow when he debuts at Cambridge on Friday night.
But at the same time he warns not to take any notice of the colt’s poor trial at Alexandra Park early last month when he tailed the field home by nearly 10 lengths.
Green, who races the two-year-old with breeder Pat Laboyrie, says he made a mistake trying the colt in a Hidez compression hood at Auckland.
The headgear which covers the ears and is lined with 3mm neoprene to reduce sound, as well as applying compression to acupressure and endorphin release points, is designed to calm nervy horses.
“It did that all right, he went to sleep in it,” Green said.
Tyson showed much more fight when trialled a second time at Pukekohe 12 days ago, leading his only rival Miki Doo over 2050 metres and clearing out to score by seven and a quarter lengths.
That franked the improvement Tyson had shown in three earlier workouts, giving Green hope he would make the grade.
“He was basically broken in and gaited and turned out for a long time but he’s coming along nicely now.
“He’s a good pacer and I think he’ll end up quite a nice horse.”
A good-looking Art Major colt, Tyson is out of 13-race winner Helena Jet and is a brother to the speedy Nicholas Cage who won six races here, taking a scalp over Akuta and Copy That in the Founders Cup, before being sold to Australia, where he has won another three races at Menangle.
“The raw ability is there. He just needs nurturing a bit,” Green said.
“There are lots of firsts he has to overcome on Friday night - first time under lights, first time in a full field, first trip away from home - but I think he’ll handle it well as he seems sensible.”
Green said Tyson would need luck from three on the second row in a field of relatively inexperienced older rivals.
Lincoln Farms’ only other runner Commander Lincoln should get all favours from two on the gate in the sixth race.
Fourth in an amateur race on the course last start, Commander Lincoln found himself snookered back on the pegs but was doing his best work late when clear.
“It was another honest run - there were plenty in there who didn’t go as well - and he’ll get one eventually but you couldn’t predict when that will be.
“He tries hard but just lacks a bit of ability.”
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
