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Im Not The Maid not the worst chance against Tuesday opposition at Cambridge

Im Not The Maid might not have the experience of red hot favourite Papenhuyzen but she’s trialling well enough to run a placing on debut at Cambridge on Tuesday night.

Trainer Ray Green, who prepares the filly for Philadelphia Racing’s Phil Cook, can see why bookies have Papenhuyzen a $1.45 favourite to take the race at Cambridge’s inaugural Tuesday mini-meeting tomorrow.

The Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson-trained filly has run some fine placings in six starts, including two unlucky thirds at Cambridge.

But at $3, he says Im Not The Maid is “certainly not out of it.

“She’s never been one you get excited about but she’s a good, honest little filly who tries hard and does everything right.

“She’s not a big, powerful filly, she’s an average type, but she’s getting stronger all the time and improving bit by bit.

“And based on how she’s trialling, I think she’ll go well.”

Im Not The Maid has had three workouts in her latest prep, her latest seconds both behind in-form horses.

On July 25 she led and trailed at Pukekohe, only outfinished by Desert Dawn, a fresh-up winner for Andre Poutama at Auckland last Friday night.

And last Thursday, in a very slickly-run 2050 metres, she led and was run down only a neck by Bar Louie, who has been very impressive winning his only two starts for Steve and Amanda Telfer.

Handled by Poutama, who takes the reins on Tuesday night, Im Not The Maid and Bar Louie recorded closing sectionals of 56.7 and 27.5 with an overall mile rate of 2:01.6.

“It’s always hard to know with horses having their first start but, based on those runs, I’m presuming she has a chance,” Green said. “She could even win.”

Im Not The Maid has the breeding to be a good winner for Cook, being by A Rocknroll Dance out of his good producer Bronze Lady.

For Cook she has left Riverman Sam (seven wins) and earlier she produced the prolific winners Bronze Over (US$572,566) who scored nine wins here and another 39 in the States and Bronze Seeker (A$435,929) who won 11 here and another 17 in Australia.

Lincoln Farms’ only other runner on Tuesday, Commander Lincoln, steps up in grade on his good third in an amateur race at Auckland last Friday when he powered home for a close third.

Commander Lincoln draws two, this time in a junior drivers’ race, drawn two for Fergus Schumacher.

“He always goes as well as he can but he doesn’t have the speed of some of his rivals.”

Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Friday night at Cambridge

Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
4.52pm

“She did a good job last week at Auckland. Throwing her in the deep end seems to have toughened her up a bit. She’s getting stronger all the time. This is a big drop in class and she’s a chance from a better gate (three).”

Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.20pm

“If the real Prince turned up he’d absolutely be hard to beat. If he leads, as he should do from two, he’s a different horse.”

Race 3: Major Copy
5.54pm

“Maurice just nursed him around on debut. He was stepping over tyre marks on the track so he didn’t want to launch him into the open too soon. We’ll put a shadow roll on him this time to stop that and I can see him going a lot better from the inside draw.”

Race 3: Jessie Lincoln
5.54pm

“I’m not saying she can’t win but it will be hard for Fergie to find a good trip from the draw. She’ll need a lot of luck but she can be right in it if things go her way as she’s training well.”

Race 5: Lincoln Dealer
6.49pm

“He’s been a slow developing horse and you can’t drive him pretty, he won’t let you, as he’s a bit of a hot head. Maurice will launch him and see where he ends up.”

Race 5: Spirit Of God
6.49pm

“She got tired late last time and started hanging a bit (hitting a marker) but I thought she went OK. She did a bit early (from a wide draw) and was still there at the finish so she’s going to win a race. You never know with second line draws but it’s usually a decent impairment.”

Race 7: Lincoln Maree
7.40pm

“She never runs a bad race. She has a big motor for a little filly and should be right in the fray.”

Race 7: Angelic Copy
7.40pm

“Maurice said she foundered a bit when they took off, and got three or four lengths behind, but she didn’t lose any more ground after that and held her place. So the run wasn’t as bad as it looked and she’ll be improved.”

Race 8: Lincoln Wave
8.14pm

“It was a non-event last time (from a stand) and he’s a good horse who will be vying for the lead from five and deserves to be favourite.”

Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.14pm

“Peter (Ferguson) said he didn’t feel as sharp last week as in the past so I’ve given him a little freshen-up with a light week and he should go better.”

Dan Costello Race Photography