Lincoln Farms’ team struck by bug but this one looks OK to rocknroll at Cambridge
By Barry Lichter • 22 August 2023
Beaudiene Rocknroll will be the sole runner for Lincoln Farms at Cambridge on Thursday night, seemingly having dodged the bug that is doing the rounds at Pukekohe.
And, with the best draw of his fledgling nine-start career, trainer Ray Green is hoping he can visit the winner’s circle again, like he did on the course in June.
“We’ve got a bit of sickness here at the moment, with snotty noses, but he seems OK,” Green said.
“I haven’t done all their bloods but we know of seven or eight who have got it. The weather has been so changeable, as well as wet and cold, but luckily this bug hasn’t been as bad as usual.
“In the past it’s been quite debilitating, and has lingered for months, but this one seems to last only a couple of weeks.”
Green suspects the stable’s recent quiet run has reflected the pesence of the often invisible enemy with a number of below par runs from the likes of Simply Sam.
“Lincoln River has snot pouring out of him now too. He’s had some hard racing and when you stress them a bit they seem to pick it up easier.
“We’ve just got to back off them a bit but I can’t see any reason why not to race Beaudiene Rocknroll, he seems fine.
“Two is the best draw he’s ever had, and it’s only 1700 metres, so he’s a definite winning chance.”
The only time Beaudiene Rocknroll has drawn a decent alley in his nine starts was when he fibrillated at Auckland in June and was pulled up.
In his other eight starts he has started from five, six three times, nine twice, 11 and 12.
Given he led easily from six when winning at Cambridge five starts ago, he should have little trouble crossing the pole runner on Thursday.
And with talented front-running driver Andre Poutama in the hot seat again, Green can see the three-year-old being hard to run down.
Two weeks ago at Cambridge, after using plenty of petrol spearing out of the gate to lead, he hung in doggedly in the home stretch to run a close third to Miki Miksta and Cyren Shard, clocking a respectable 2:43.9 for the 2200 metres in terrible conditions.
Beaudiene Rocknroll, who is raced by Lincoln Farms’ John and Lynne Street, breeders Dave and Dawn Kennedy and Melbourne’s Merv and Meg Butterworth, had an interrupted start to his career when, after just two races at two, he broke a pedal bone and had to be spelled for six months.
He is a half brother to 22-race winner Beaudiene Bad Babe.
More news in Harness
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
