Frankie Major (Monika Ranger), inner, slugs it out with topliner Merlin at Auckland last September.
Frankie Major not quite there yet but still a chance against weak Cambridge opposition
By Barry Lichter • 19 July 2023
Trainer Ray Green reckons it might take one more run before we see Frankie Major at his best but, on sheer ability, he should still be right in contention in the sixth race at Cambridge on Thursday night.
Frankie Major ($6, $2.10) was resuming from a five-month spell and some fisticuffs with a virus when he dropped out in the run home at Auckland last Friday to run last.
But it’s not as if he performed badly, driver Maurice McKendry actually reported he thought he was going to win 600 metres from home after enjoying a trail behind the leader from the outset.
“He just got too tired up the straight,” Green said. “You had to expect that - he hadn’t done much for a while.
“If he was on his game, you’d be all over him on Thursday but I think he’ll need another run before we see the best of him.
“He should still race well, from the good draw, but Irish Whispers is obviously a tidy horse.”
Frankie Major, who contested the up-to-rating 58 race last week won by his stablemate Lincoln River, drops to a rating 47 to 54 event this week.
But his rating of 48 is not an accurate reflection of his ability, having dropped down the ratings at the tail end of his last campaign.
At his peak, Frankie Major was bashing heads with the best three-year-olds, twice running second to Merlin and once second behind Beach Flybye.
In his last start of that prep he ran 2:40 flat when seventh in the Harness Million at Auckland behind Merlin, Sooner The Bettor, Sinbad, Son Of Mac, Charlie Brown and Alta Meteor.
He also took on the best in the Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington in cup week when, from a debilitating 13 draw, he ran eighth to Don’t Stop Dreaming, Sherlock, Alta Meteor, Merlin, OK Boomer, Carrera Rapido amd Final Collect when the winner ran a slick mile rate of 1:53.6 for the 1980 metres.
More news in Harness
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
