Lou out with a bug, so it’s up to Sugar Ray and Tyson to do the heavy hitting at Auckland
By Barry Lichter • 11 July 2024
Lincoln Farms’ stranglehold on Friday night’s two-year-old race at Auckland dissipated a fraction tonight with the scratching of Lincoln Lou.
Trainer Ray Green said the early $2.20 favourite had been scratched on vet’s advice.
“He looked a little seedy this morning and also left a bit of food so we took a blood and it turns out he’s picked up a bit of a virus.”
Green said it was lucky the symptoms surfaced today, avoiding the possibility of causing the horse harm by racing him.
“It’s unfortunate but it’s not like it’s the derby on Friday, it’s just another race. We’ll just have to win it with Sugar Ray Lincoln or Tyson.”
Lincoln Lou’s withdrawal, plus that of Carrera Hombre, leaves only a five-horse field and has dramatically affected the fixed odds market with Sugar Ray Lincoln now the $1.55 favourite, Stonewall Stud’s best runner Debrief second fancy at $3.90 and Tyson next best at $4.40.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Im Not The Maid
5.14pm
“She went better last time when third. She tries hard but doesn’t win out of turn and there look to be a few here that are better than her.”
Race 6: Leo Lincoln
7.32pm
“He’s been racing well and won two nice stakes at Manawatu so we can’t complain. But he’s up in grade and, even with a head start, I anticipate horses like Little Spike and The Surfer would be much too good for him here.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 2: Whats Up The Hill
6.29pm
“We had to change his sulky on the track just before the start of the race when the hub collapsed on one of the wheels. The replacement was a bit short and he was touching the wheels in the running. And when Paramount Lady came off his back and swished round him at the 400, he tried to go with her and didn’t have the ringcraft to stay down trotting. Apart from that I thought he went super.”
Race 8: Lincoln La Moose
9.23pm
“He was a certainty beaten last start at Cambridge but how could he beat these horses who are far higher graded? It once again shows just what a shortage of horses we have in the north. He’ll just have to go round to drop points.”
