Leo Lincoln finishes strongly behind Penny Black last Friday.
Leo Lincoln leads the charge of Lincoln Farms’ place chances at the Park on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 13 December 2023
Trainer Ray Green doesn’t expect the outside draw to stop improving two-year-old Leo Lincoln from earning another cheque at Auckland on Friday night.
The Art Major gelding finished best of the rest behind the strongly fancied Penny Black last Friday night, running his second sub 2:42 time in as many starts.
And his closing sectionals of 57.2 and 28.3 were the best in the race, along with his last mile clocking of 1:59.2.
“He’s going good races and I don’t think it’s too bad for him being out wide as he won’t be used up early,” Green said.
“He’s not a strong horse yet but he’s racing honestly and while I couldn’t label him a winner, he should be in it.”
Leo Lincoln comes up against three of the strong Steve and Amanda Telfer team including Delightful Reality, who beat him a half neck two starts back and has the advantage of the pole this week.
Simply Sam gets another chance to break his string of placings when he contests the $30,000 Thames Summer Cup, favourably drawn in two.
Green is happy that Simply Sam is up to the opposition and says he’s “honest as the earth” but he suspects the horse is still not quite right given how he was beaten a neck and a nose last week after a good trip.
“I thought he was a bit disappointing last week - he gets up to them but seems reluctant to run past them. I think we’re getting on top of his tying-up issue but he’s still not 100% I don’t think.
“He steps fast so you’d be mad to leave him out of combo bets but I can’t label him on what he’s shown us this time in. I’ll be happy if he picks up another cheque.”
Maurice McKendry finds My Copy a beautiful trip in the one-one last week.My Copy jumps up from winning a rating 41 to 46 last week to a rating 50 to 56 race but Green says his rivals certainly “don’t stand over him.
“It wouldn’t surprise me to see him win again but he’d need another good trip. Maurice found him a great trip last week and that’s what won it for him.
“He never lets us down. Even when he’s been beaten he’s had excuses.”
My Copy leaves from another niggly draw of five in the eighth race, his stablemate Lincoln River, the second highest rated horse in the race, faring even worse in seven.
“He had no luck last week when stuck out parked and he’ll be looking for a bit of luck again on Friday.
“All four of ours are going well enough and can be in it, subject to a bit of luck.”
More news in Harness
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Big-spending Mike Tanev snares The Rascal and he’s off to Canada next week
Dreams Of Eric goes from black and blue to blue and white, now for Harness 5000
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”
