Lincoln’s Girl can give them a fright but jury’s still out for Green
By Barry Lichter • 16 October 2018
Lincoln’s Girl is primed to give her rivals a fright at Cambridge on Thursday night but trainer Ray Green is reserving judgement on her potential.
The Sir Lincoln filly draws three in the seventh race, pitched against mostly higher rated rivals, and is having her first run for nearly five months.
But Green has given her five workouts this preparation in each of the last five weeks, keen to ensure she’s very fit when she lines up.
“She’s a big filly who can make it hard work for herself by over-racing. I didn’t want her to go into a race half-cocked and do herself some harm.
“But the more work she’s got, the more settled she’s become.
“She’s had plenty of time to find her feet now, she’s a lot stronger, and Zac was very happy with her at the workouts last Saturday.’’
Driven very quietly by Butcher, who snagged Lincoln’s Girl to the back of the field, the filly was not produced until inside the final 200 metres when she unleashed a big sprint to finish close up in fourth.
“She’s got some speed,’’ says Green. “I’d just like to see her beat something of note before I start labelling her as anything special.’’
Lincoln’s Girl’s form line looks pretty impressive with a nose second and two wins from only four starts but Green says that was only two-year-old form and, while she clocked 1:56.7 in winning a mile at Auckland, she was all out and beat nothing.
“She’s a bit like her brother Lincoln Road, who we’ve just sold. Initially he was one-dimensional but towards the end he was quite versatile and I think this filly will be no different.
“The more we race her, the better she will get.
“She’s a chance on Thursday but if Rain Man was on top of his game, he’d be the one to beat.’’
Stephen Reid’s Rain Man has been trialling well at Pukekohe in recent weeks and boasts form against much stronger fields last campaign.
Not holding breath about Vinibaka
Lincoln Farms’ only other runner at Cambridge, Vinibaka, draws six in the fifth race, and Green reckons his best chance will be to go forward.
“He had a beautiful trip last week at Auckland and either wasn’t ready for it or wasn’t good enough.
“We’ll see how he goes this time but I’m not holding my breath.
“He’s better off going forward. He’s done his best work at the trials on the front end.’’
More news in Harness
Omaha Lincoln long in the odds but he has enough toe to say he won’t be entirely beached
Watch Sammy Lincoln charge home and you’ll want to be on at Cambridge on Thursday night
Lincoln Wave scorches in, still on target for richer races and Sammy’s making progress too
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Omaha Lincoln
4.49pm
“He’s never been to Cambridge, and it’s his first time off the place, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him go well - he’s certainly got enough speed to do the business. It’s guesswork trying to assess him against the others but I think he’ll do everything right so he’s a chance.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
6.51pm
“She is a bit one-dimensional - she’ll take charge of proceedings when the gate leaves. She could get parked but if she got a cheque I’d be happy.”
Race 6: Leo Lincoln
7.22pm
“He was taking ground off the winner last week and I don’t think the step up to 2700 will make much difference, he’s race fit now. He’ll do what he can do, he’s no champion, but he’s got the draw, he steps well and he won’t be far away.”
Race 7: Lincoln Wave
7.52pm
“The draw is awkward over the sprint distance at Cambridge but he’s absolutely capable of being right in the fray if he happened to get a good trip - he’s an improver every time he goes to the races. Not many of the others have run 1:54.”
Race 7: Sammy Lincoln
7.52pm
“I thought he did well to finish third last week after being parked out. The draw makes it very hard but he’s got real speed and if he dropped into it late, it wouldn’t surprise me if he got home really well.”
Race 10: Spiritual Bliss
9.24pm
“They’ll know they’ve been to the races if she gets any kind of trip. She was parked the whole way last time in 1:52 and wasn’t far off them. I don’t really want to see her parked again but you’d think Tytate would duck for cover knowing we’d say in front. She’s tough and reliable - she hasn’t gone a bad race since we’ve had her - and you know she’ll put herself in the race.”
Race 10: Another Cullect
9.24pm
“The outside is not a good draw for her but, if they go hard, it will suit her.”
