Everything points to Kevin Kline being best supporting actor at Auckland on Friday night

Kevin Kline’s rapid rate of improvement paints him as the winner of the last race at Auckland on Friday night.

Experienced driver Maurice McKendry reported the two-year-old was nowhere near as green when second last Friday night, his home straight pick-up more polished than when pipped fresh-up at Cambridge a week earlier.

After trailing to the turn, the Always B Miki gelding matched the 27.3 fastest closing sectional time of winner Little Hoofananny, and his last 800 metre split of 55.9 was just one tenth of a second slower.

From two on the gate this week, against a small and moderately performed line-up, Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green says Kevin Kline is clearly the one to beat.

Kevin Kline was a bit lost fresh-up at Cambridge but still nearly won. PHOTO: Ange Bridson/Race Images.“He’s a nice horse and Maurice says he’s getting better. He’s well schooled and should go on with it now.

“On form he’s definitely our best chance of the night.”

Green also lines up debutant The Rascal in the race and says, while he hasn’t displayed the best gait in his workouts and trials, he too is improving.

“Sometimes he gets on a knee but we’ve got spreaders on him now and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him in the top four.

“He flounders a bit when they sprint but he’s a trier.”

The Sweet Lou colt, out of three-race winner Razcal Alley, cost just $6000 as a weanling and is raced by Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street and their business manager Ian Middleton.

Green was rapt with how Debbie Lincoln (race three) conducted herself fresh-up for seven months last week, finishing well for third behind Twisted Sister and Princess Gracy.

Used hard out of the gate by McKendry, she took a trail for the last lap and fought hard to the line, never missing a beat.

“She did well considering she had to burn hard early and Maurice was happy with her. From two this week, she should go well again.”

Expected to need the run

Leo Lincoln and Tyson, who line up in the opener, haven’t raced since September and Green expects they’ll both need the run.

Leo Lincoln, who won a workout on November 14 (Tyson was fourth), went off at the end of his last prep but is working along nicely again.

“He’s training OK and should go all right but I’m picking he’ll need a race before we see his best.”

Tyson was all but decked in his last race on September 6 but had been racing well before that.

“He hasn’t really gone a bad race except for early on when he was a bit wary behind the gate.

“He was quite small before but is growing a lot.”

Despite being placed in two recent workouts, Green said Tyson won’t be on top of his game yet.

Stable driver Nathan Delany will partner Commander Lincoln in the juniors’ race but as a rating 39 horse he is the lowest ranked in the R39 to R50 field.

“I’d like to get a penalty-free win with him. He hasn’t shown any dazzling gate speed previously but if he can hold up from one, and stay reasonably handy, he’s a rough chance.”

Commander Lincoln’s best form has been in weaker amateur fields and he racked up his seventh third last time, finishing stoutly behind Gladys Greenland and Louie V Tonne at Cambridge.