Kevin Kline powers home at Cambridge but is a stride too late. PHOTO: Ange Bridson/Race Images.
Kevin Kline a real fish called Wanda fresh-up but he’ll learn from the run for Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 20 November 2024
Expect another good effort from Kevin Kline at Auckland on Friday night, despite his being a bit like a fish out of water fresh-up.
The two-year-old did everything but win at Cambridge last week, flashing late to be pipped half a head, with driver Maurice McKendry reporting he simply got lost when asked to sprint.
“When Maurice asked him to go at the top of the straight he didn’t quite know what to do,” said trainer Ray Green.
“He wound up well in the end but just left it a little late. He’ll learn from that and should go well again.”
The Always B Miki gelding gets a draw upgrade from five to one this week but Green isn’t so sure that’s the place to be for a learner.
“The inside is an awkward draw as you’re obligated to leave, or end up three or four fence, but hopefully he’ll be all right.
“He’s a nice horse who will only get better.”
Work in progress
Lincoln Farms has only other runner on the night, Debbie Lincoln in the Lincoln Farms Pace for two-year-old fillies, but Green describes her as a work in progress.
“She has a bit of ability - she’s fast - but she needs to harness it. She gets a little claustrophobic when they come around her.”
The Lather Up filly has won two of her latest three workouts, leading all the way in the last one on November 14, but showed her greenness when galloping on the last bend in her November 7 heat, won by Kevin Kline.
Green said Debbie Lincoln is much better equipped to handle racing now than when she had her first two runs in April, behind the top Purdon/Phelan filly Youretheonethatiwant.
“She wasn’t ready for races like the Delightful Lady Classic but is a much stronger individual now, which is normal progress.
“You don’t know what you’re up against in these early races - there’s always something flying under the radar - but the mission on Friday will be to get round without her doing anything stupid. If she happened to win it, great.”
Debbie Lincoln, who is out of the one-win Sir Lincoln mare Yasmine Bromac, cost just $3500 at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock weaning sale and is now raced by Green’s wife Debbie and Lincoln Farms owners John and Lynne Street.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
