Mark: Tommy should be right in the thick of things again on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 9 September 2021
Bouyed by Tommy Lincoln’s excellent last start fourth, trainer Mark Dux can see Lincoln Farms’ charge right in the thick of the fight again on Saturday night.
And Dux can see one likely scenario that would put the reliable fighter in a perfect spot in the running of the fourth race.
Two weeks ago, from the widest alley, Tommy Lincoln was forced to ease to last, four back on the outer.
“It was near impossible for him to catch them from there,” Dux said. “If they’d gone quicker it would have been a different ball game.”
Tommy Lincoln’s closing sectionals were excellent last start.With the 2138 metres run only in a 1:55.5 mile rate, Tommy Lincoln did exceptionally well to close to 4.3 metres of the winner Our Uncle Sam, making up 10.7 metres on the leaders over the last 800 metres, three and four wide when mounting his run.
His closing 800 metres of 54.27 was one hundredth of a second slower then the winner and his final 400 metres of 26.75 was faster than Our Uncle Sam, who nosed out Will The Wizard and Mach Da Vinci in a blanket finish.
“I was really happy with his run,” Dux said. “They can all get home so quick but he’s only got to be a little closer in the running to beat them.
“On Saturday night I can see him getting a fairly good trip from five.
“If Will The Wizard holds the lead, like last week, and Crunch Time comes across - and there’s no reason they’d change their racing pattern - he could get the one-one and then he’d be right in the thick of things.”
Tommy Lincoln, who has won five of his nine starts in Queensland, rated 1:54.9 when winning over 2138 metres at his previous start. And three of his wins have been at 1660 metres, the distance on Saturday night, his best a 1:52.7 clocking in July.
Two of his wins have been with Saturday’s pilot Angus Garrard in the cart, the gun junior posting his 300th winner earlier in the week.
Dux reports Tommy Lincoln to be in good heart after a week out of the racing cauldron.
“He had an easy week last week but he trained well on Wednesday.”
Tommy Lincoln races at 9.42pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
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Prince Lincoln spearheads record-sized team for Lincoln Farms at Cambridge on Friday
Ray cautions punters with no lead this time for Jekyll and Hyde colt Prince Lincoln
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Jessie Lincoln
5.44pm
“She normally runs on better but, after looking like she was going to round them up on the turn last week, she just flattened out. But she’ll be hovering around there somewhere.”
Race 5: Lincoln Maree
6.55pm
“She’s such a tough little filly who tries so hard. I wish I had one with speed with those qualities. It would be nice if they go hard, and she gets a suck along, then she might get a small piece of it. She never goes a bad race.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
6.55pm
“She’s been going all right but she keeps getting awkward draws and getting pushed back to the rear. Because of her initial success (as a two-year-old) she’s been badly off in the ratings but she’s slowly losing points.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
6.55pm
“He’s a serious winning chance. He’ll go forward from his outside gate and try to dominate again in front. He’s not just winning, he’s demolishing them.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.45pm
“He got fired up at Cambridge with the long delay and, after he went forward to get a position, Fergie was just a passenger. When they pull that hard they don’t run on. He’s been racing well and can’t be ruled out if he gets a good trip.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.45pm
”If he gets a half decent trip, he’s the one to beat. Ignore the Cambridge run last week from a stand. We know what he can do from the mobile.”
