Lincoln’s Girl has been competing in fast-run races against much stronger opposition. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.
Lincoln’s Girl will find the slower Manawatu tempo a walk in the park
By Barry Lichter • 19 November 2018
A big drop in class and the inside barrier makes Lincoln’s Girl the one to beat in the sixth race at Manawatu on Tuesday night.
Lincoln’s Girl’s form looks less than flattering but she won’t have to go anywhere near the same speed as in her last two starts when seventh.
At Cambridge last time, she had no chance when shuffled to four deep on the markers with winner Patanjali on the front end clocking a slick 2.41.5 for the 2200 metres, a mile rate of 1:58.1.
And before that at Auckland, Lincoln’s Girl had no chance when she galloped out of the gate and settled a clear last, with classy winner On The Cards running a mile rate of 1:58.8 over 2700 metres.
That race was an up to rating 74 event and on Tuesday night Lincoln’s Girl lands in a rating 53-56 race over the much more suitable trip of only 2000 metres.
When main race rival Stoppitt won on the first night of the last Manawatu meeting he clocked a mile rate of 2:03 for 2000 metres, a clip that Lincoln’s Girl would find a walk in the park.
“On paper you’d have to be disappointed if she didn’t get some of it,’’ says trainer Ray Green. “The drop in class will help her immensely.’’
It will be up to driver Zachary Butcher to get the filly to race kindly, he says, but over a short trip round the tight 900 metre track, which will suit her, she deserved to be favourite.
Vinibaka … on first road trip to Manawatu and meets poor opposition.Stablemate Vinibaka, also banished to Manawatu after some indifferent form, is well placed to pay his travelling expenses in the eighth race.
From two on the gate, with Vinibaka’s excellent gate speed, Butcher should have no trouble crossing over to the lead.
And being easily the highest ranked horse on a rating 46, in a field devoid of form, he will be hard to peg back, again over only 2000 metres.
Vinibaka had no chance to use his gate speed last time at Cambridge when, after drawing the inside of the second row, driver David Butcher was shuffled to four deep on the markers.
“David said he felt good ’til they sprinted at the 600 then he flattened out and when he showed him daylight in the straight he couldn’t go on.’’
In Vinibaka’s defence, he was bottled up in traffic until the last 100 metres when the race was all over.
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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.”
