Leo poised to roar again - he looks a ratings special at Cambridge on Thursday night

Forget Leo Lincoln’s form line of 5888 - he looks a ratings special at Cambridge on Thursday night.

The five-year-old meets only five rivals in the sixth race, in an event for R42 to R49 horses, but sneaks into the field as a R53 with the junior claim of co-trainer Nathan Delany.

It’s been 10 months since Leo Lincoln had such an easy kill, when he scored a brace at Manawatu. And he was a rating 58 when he downed a strong R45 to R60 line-up in a $35,000 Metro Final at Auckland in July, pacing 2:39.9 for the 2200 metres.

He’s dropped five rating points since and in his two runs back this campaign have been in vastly superior line-ups.

Last time in a R54 to R65, he had to contend with up-and-comer Doo You Want Me and fresh-up he was pitted against the likes of Sooner The Bettor (R90), Better Knuckle Up and Rubira.

Delany says Leo Lincoln will strip a lot fitter on Thursday night and he rates him a good winning chance.

“He’s been racing open class horses and this is a huge drop back for him.”

Stablemate Lincoln Lover’s form line of 221153 might look better on paper but he’s been racing horses rated in the 30s and low 40s.

“Lincoln Lover’s doing a good job, and he ran home well last time at Cambridge, but Leo is definitely the pick of ours.”

Lincoln Lover’s last start third was four and three-quarter lengths behind Barbarossa in his helter-skelter 2200 metres, when he was hitting the wheels and ran a middle half in an extraordinary 55.5. But to his credit he was only half a head behind the heavily punted Soul Artist.

Lincoln Maree winning at Manawatu last December. PHOTO: Jack McKenzie/Race Images.Instructions to lead

Delany believes Lincoln Maree can go one better in the amateur race, with very specific instructions to be delivered to driver Frank Phelan.

“Frank drove a nice race on her last time, doing a bit of work early before leading and trailing, but I think the result might have been different if she’d led all the way.”

While she finished well up the passing lane, Lincoln Maree was nutted late into second by Commander Lincoln.

“She has no speed, she’s better in front and rolling, so this week we’ll tell Frank to go forward and to not hand up.”

Delany’s own horse The Night Fox has been saddled with another poor draw in the fourth race but, with a little luck, he believes he can still be very competitive for Harrison Orange.

You can put the line straight through The Night Fox’s last run at Auckland when he drew nine, ended up completely buried on the markers and was full of running in the stretch when Mr Miki galloped in front of him and KOed him into a gallop.

“Harry said he felt like he could have won with a decent draw so we’ll just put the race behind us.

“I wouldn’t say this field is any harder. It depends on how the race pans out but I think he can still win.

“It will be intersting to see what the ones in the front of us do. We might end up one-out and four-back but that’s still better than four deep on the fence.”