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.”
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”

Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”

