Here’s Johnny … Ray introduces weanling sale graduate as deserved favourite on Friday night

Weanling sale graduate Johnny Lincoln ($1.70) fully deserves to be favourite for Friday night’s National Weanling Sale Pace at Auckland, says co-trainer Ray Green.

The Lather Up two-year-old has only four rivals, two of whom are unraced, and another pair who haven’t shown the same ability in their sole starts.

Johnny Lincoln, however, has turned in two excellent runs:

• His debut third at Cambridge was behind talented types Fitzroy, now in Australia, and Nymbal
• And his last-start third at Auckland saw him run faster sectionals than the first two home, Franco Salah and Tytate.

Johnny Lincoln overcame an early setback in that May 30 race, driver Peter Ferguson forced four wide on the first bend when taking evasive action, then caught without cover for a time.

After getting a long way back, the gelding ripped over his last mile of the 2200 metres in 1:57.1, with his last 800 also the fastest in 56.7.

Green was impressed by what he saw in the last few hundred metres that night when Johnny Lincoln closed to just 1.1 lengths of the winner.

“They were all on their knees at the finish but he dug in and fought better than most. Another 20 metres and he’d probably have won.

“He’s a good-gaited little fella and I think he deserves to be favourite.

“It’s hard to know how far he’ll take us but on paper he has to be the one to beat on Friday.”

Green says Johnny Lincoln has trained on well in the interim - “he’s not a brilliant track worker but I’m sure he’ll go well.”

Stablemate Lincoln Maree, who galloped on debut, would be no threat, Green said.

“She’s really only in there to make the race happen but she tries hard. She can be a bit of a loose cannon around at the start but she’s OK once underway.”

The main danger to Johnny Lincoln would appear to be the Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan-trained Buddy Guy who held out stablemate and race rival Fly High in their latest workout at Pukekohe.

Of the two others which Green and training partner Nathan Delany line up for Lincoln Farms on Friday, he fancies Lincoln La Moose the most.

Green believes the $10 and $2.60 quote could be overs.

“He’s trained on really well this week and, dropping down a grade, I think he’ll be a serious winning chance.”

Leo Lincoln ($11, $1.70), on the other hand, meets some much higher rated opposition in the fourth race, his R57 rating looking sketchy against American Me (R78) despite a 25-metre head start.

It’s only the second time Leo Lincoln has tackled 2700 metres in his 42-start career but Green isn’t worried abut the extra distance.

“He’s going well and has become quite a good beginner from a stand so he should have a good head start on his rivals.

“This looks to be a slightly easier race than last week and hopefully he can get some of it.”