Kevin Kline still has plenty of energy, rearing high after coming back to scale last week. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.
Nate: Write off Kevin Kline again at your peril - he’s not that fast but he just keeps going
By Barry Lichter • 26 November 2025
Punters gave Kevin Kline no chance last week at Auckland, when he upset at $22, but co-trainer Nathan Delany warns against scorning him again on Friday night.
“I know it’s a tough field but so was last week’s field,” Delany said. “If everything goes right, he’s a top three chance.”
Kevin Kline, who has risen through the grades virtually on one preparation, meets even higher rated rivals in the Thames Summer Cup at Alexandra Park.
Instead of Invisible, Confederate and You Little Beuaty, he this time faces a stronger bunch including Captain Sampson, Jolimont, Little Spike and The Surfer.
And, along with that, he reverts to a standing stand, which he has tried only three times previously, for one placing.
“I don’t think the stand will worry him,” Delany said. “He steps away pretty well and he never lets you down.
“I thought he did a great job to win last week given he was a couple of lengths off them at the 700.
“I asked Maurice if he was falling asleep back there and he said ‘matey they were going too quick for me’.
“For him to make up the ground and keep his momentum going was huge. But while he’s not that fast, Kevin just keeps going and he keeps gaining speed.”
Delany’s view is mirrored in the closing sectionals of the 2200 metre mobile which Kevin Kline covered in 55.6 and 27.7, easily the fastest in the race.
His mile rate of 1:53.7 also speaks to his toughness and the belief of Delany and his training partner Ray Green that he will be suited by the faster tempo of open class racing.
Providing he can step cleanly for McKendry from the 10 metre mark on Friday, when he has only two horses in front of him, he should enjoy an on-pace trip and get his chance against the backmarkers.
Delany is tipping a top four finish for Tyson in the opening race.
“He needs to run top four to get into Metro Final. Maurice was very happy with him last week and he’s trained on well.”
Tyson racked up his fourth fifth placing on end last week after securing a cushy trip, first in the one-one then one out and two back.
And he ripped off the third fastest closing 800 and 400, in 56.2 and 27.3 to get within two lengths of winner Arden’s Memory.
“Maurice wanted to try something different last week and found a good run for him but he seems to go better if he can get to the parked position.”
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
