No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in

A big drop in class should see talented pacer Lincoln Wave ($4.60, $1.75) back in the money at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

The Downbytheseaside colt took on the country’s top three-year-olds in the Harness Million last week, and was right in contention until the last 150 metres.

And while co-trainer Ray Green says he was initially disappointed that Lincoln Wave ran only eighth - he finished 3.6 lengths from winner Jumal - in retrospect he still found plenty of merit in the effort.

“With the trip he got I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all.”

Green fancies we’ll see Lincoln Wave right in the fight on Friday night, back in a ratings race and drawn perfectly in gate two.

“It’s a big drop in grade and he’s a pretty fair horse.”

LIncoln Wave was also badly in need of the run when eighth at his previous start when Jumal ran a ripping 2:39.2 to win the Alabar Classic.

But before his short break the colt scored impressive back-to-back wins to open his career then lost his chance next time out when his sulky tyre punctured 1100 metres from home.

Green says Lincoln Wave still has to beat the higher rated Mako ($3) but he’s a better punt than rival and stablemate Leo Lincoln ($15, $3.40).

“Leo should probably have gone to Cambridge but he’s an honest sort who’s in a good space.

“He was good behind Doo Yo Want Me at Auckland last time - he never left the fence and whacked away for third in 2:41.1.

“But he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”

Big Sammy Lincoln has a torrent of speed.Heart-breaker returns

Another of Lincoln Farms’ promising three-year-olds Sammy Lincoln returns in the third race after a five-week break, bookies installing him a $3.70 and $1.60 favourite despite his inside second row draw.

“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do,” Green said.

“You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”

In three starts, the Always B Miki gelding has found varying ways to frustrate punters:

* On debut he looked very unlucky when KOed early, only to power home for an unlucky third

* Confidently backed to win a week later, he galloped 275m from home when easing out of the trail and looking a certain winner, and

* Last start, he breezed throughout when a brave third to Iron Mike Tyson.

Jessie Lincoln won’t start in the race after getting down on her bumpers which resulted in a little infection in her heel.

Green isn’t sure what to make of Prince Lincoln ($5.50, $1.80) who lines up for the first time since January 9 in the fifth race.

Green and his training partner Nathan Delany gave the horse a spell after he disappointed when a warm favourite at Cambridge, hanging badly when trying to improve four wide.

“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps.

“He trained well the other day.”

Prince Lincoln has had one quiet workout when fourth of four behind Gotta Go Miki at Pukekohe on March 17.