Tommy Lincoln (Mark Dux) leads in his Queensland debut. He will be handled by Anthony Butt tonight. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Front-running Tommy Lincoln looks to have tonight’s race at Albion Park on a plate
By Barry Lichter • 9 July 2021
Tommy Lincoln looks set to jump straight back into the winners’ circle at Albion Park tonight, drawn to lead a mediocre field.
Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green says you can put the line through his last start when, from the second row, he had to work three wide to the death and weakened to seventh.
“Sitting parked just doesn’t suit him,” says Green. “He got pulling too hard. He’ll go much better tonight and should lead easily from two.
“He’s definitely the one to beat.”
From the same spot on the gate in his Queensland debut Tommy Lincoln made a real statement, powering to the front and winning, untested, in a mile rate of 1:53.8 for the 1660 metres, with the highly touted Ranger Bomb 11.5 metres in arrears.
Green says Tommy Lincoln is in good shape now after an issue earlier in the week when he showed signs of lameness.
“We had a bit of a problem with his feet but the farrier sorted that.
“We had pads on his feet but they were pressing hard on his soles so we took them off and he seems fine now.”
Tommy Lincoln, the winner of nine races and more than $100,000, opened a $1.22 favourite for tonight’s fourth event with the former Gavin Smith-trained Kiwi Bettor Call Me, a one race winner, second fancy at $7.50.
Tommy Lincoln races at 9.24pm NZ time at Albion Park tonight.
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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.”
