Hubby nearly in the dog box after Tyson delivers Debbie a Golden Gait knockout blow

Ray Green could easily have ended up in the dog box after Tyson pipped Debbie Lincoln in Friday night’s $50,000 3yo Golden Gait at Alexandra Park.

The closest finish of the night saw Green, with a 50% share in Tyson, triumph over his wife Debbie, who owns 50% of Debbie Lincoln.

But while the nose photo finish call saw Green jokingly tell his wife to vacate the winner’s circle, there were no hard feelings afterwards.

“I told Deb she couldn’t hog all the limelight but the money all goes into the same trough after all,” Green said.

Debbie Green bought Debbie Lincoln for $3500 and races her with Lincoln Farms owners John and Lynne Street.The big race quinella rewarded both Ray and Debbie for their keen eyes when it comes to assessing young horses:

• Debbie bought Debbie Lincoln for just $3500 as a weanling, before taking in Lincoln Farms owners John and Lynne Street as partners
• And Ray took a share in Tyson after looking him over in a paddock at breeder Pat Laboyrie’s Lake Karapiro farm.

Bagging $32,500 of one of the lucrative end-of-season prizes was a fitting result on the Auckland Trotting Club’s night designed like a loyalty programme.

Tyson, in particular, deserved the reward for his extra-ordinarily regular attendance at Alexandra Park.

Only trot winner Castana, with 26 runs, eclipsed Tyson’s 23-start run during the qualifying period of February 7 to December 5.

And Tyson basically did it in only six months, out spelling between February and June, before beginning his week-in and week-out appearances at the Park, racking up five starts in August and four each in September and October.

“More horses could be like him,” Green said. “I don’t know why people are so conservative, in the US they’d be racing every week.

“Tyson doesn’t knock himself around but he thrives on racing. He’d wonder what was going on if he wasn’t racing. He loves it. I will give him a little let-up after the 31st but not a big spell.”

Green said to pull off one of the Golden Gait purses was a great result.

Tyson, outer ranges alongside Debbie Lincoln near the finish to give Lincoln Farms the quinella. PHOTO: Therese Davis.And despite the nose, neck and neck separation at the line, Green standing near the finish, was pretty sure Tyson had prevailed in the very last stride.

“I could see by the way he was travelling across the top that he was going to be right in it. Maurice gave him a beaut trip.”

McKendry made the winning move 1200 metres from home when he whistled up three wide, magically managing to squeeze into the one-one when Captain Sampson kicked up to try to stop him from getting outside the leader and the trailing horse Bruntwood Brigade couldn’t keep up.

“I wasn’t surprised to see him win after that. People think he’s just a slugger but he’s got a bit of speed and he won’t be embarrassed up in grade as he’s improving all the time.”

Tyson, now rated R52, ran the mile in 1:56.6, the second fastest of the pacing winners behind R85 pacer Sooner The Bettor (1:55), a fine effort, Green said, given it had rained and the surface wasn’t tailor-made for speed with a lot of top on it.

“You couldn’t fault Debbie Lincoln either as she had to do a bit early (to reach the lead) and was still there at the finish.”

Tyson, who has had 26 starts as a three-year-old, now boasts the enviable record of five wins and $90,160 in stakes.