Trainer Ray Green has aspirations to contest December’s New Zealand Derby with Simply Sam.
Improving Simply Sam has the speed to win again at Auckland on Thursday night
By Barry Lichter • 29 June 2022
Trainer Ray Green believes Simply Sam can continue on his winning way despite having to take on a couple of higher rated interlopers.
Race seven at Auckland on Thursday night was to have been for rating 52 to 59 pacers but when only four horses were entered for the 60 and faster event, it was scrapped, Melanion (R63) and Wild Card (R64) being switched into the easier race, conditional on their being driven by claiming juniors.
But Green says Simply Sam is still the one to beat.
“You can’t fault what he’s done. If he can’t beat that lot he’s not going to go far and I think he can round them up again.”
With his great turn of foot, Green rates Simply Sam very highly and has long range aspirations to contest the New Zealand Derby in December.
And the way he swept up from second last on the home turn two weeks ago and breezed straight past his rivals to win, going away, suggested he will be more than competitive against the top three-year-olds by the end of the year.
Simply Sam had to run only 2:43.4 for that 2200 metres but he has already clocked 2:40.9 when he reeled of closing sectionals of 56 and 27 flat.
Drawn five on Thursday night, and with zero gate speed, Simply Sam will settle back in the field again but he needs only a decent crack at them in the last 400 metres to win his fourth race from only 10 starts.
Neptune … won’t be undertaking a search and destroy mission from the second row. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.Green isn’t so bullish about his chaces in the third race where Neptune and Ideal Kingdom have to take on older horses after the two-year-old race was also canned for lack of numbers.
Neptune looks to be up against it, drawn five on the second row, and Green says he’ll be driven to try for a cart into the race late.
“He won’t be going on any search and destroy mission. He didn’t run on last time but I’m picking what stopped him was being burned hard early.
“He’s a promising colt but he just needs to get a bit stronger. As long as he gets home well, I’ll be happy.”
Ideal Kingdom has drawn better in three but lacks the speed of his stablemate.
“He’s a nice little horse who’ll go a good honest race I’m sure and, if things go his way, he’s a chance. We’re backing him up three weeks in a row, which is a bit tough, but he seems to be handling it.”
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Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.25pm
“She won well on the first day but pulled very hard - Harry said his arms were that tired afterwards he couldn’t have lifted a 1kg dumb bell. She’s meeting a few nice ones here, up in grade, but she’s drawn better so you can’t count her out. She tries hard and really digs in.”
Race 7: Lincoln Downs
7.50pm
“She did everything right on Tuesday but she blew heavily afterwards and I think the heat got to her. She’s a place chance if she recovers OK.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.22pm
“She was jumping shadows on Tuesday and moves to the last race this time but she’s not the most genuine so I’m not holding my breath.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.28pm
“He hasn’t raced for three months but trialled really well. I pick he’s going to win one pretty quickly and, given he’s been running against the best two-year-olds in his previous preps, it should really be on Friday night. This lot of maidens aren’t in the same class and he’s as honest as they come, a tough little trier.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s really up against it from the outside of the second line, with all the favourites drawn well. She has to be the unluckest animal on the planet. With her, what can go wrong will. Even at the best of times you need a reasonable draw to figure but drawn in the bondocks here she’ll need incredible luck.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.09pm
“He had a short break while some vet work was done but is in good trim. Yes, there are a few in here that are vastly higher rated but his formline says it all - it’s not often he doesn’t get a cheque.”
Race 8: Tyson
9.09pm
“He was a bit unlucky last week that he didn’t get to them a bit sooner otherwise I think he would have won. Maurice said he thought they’d come back to him more, going 2:39 speed, but his closing sectionals were easily the best in the race.”
Race 10: Prince Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s grown into a beautiful horse, a quality looking colt, and who knows what he could be. He’ll obviously improve with the run but I still expect him to run well from his good draw. He trialled very well behind a good one.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly in seven, which gives Prince Lincoln the edge, but he too was making good ground in the workout.”
