Obadiah Dragon and Andre Poutama look a good combination from the pole on Thursday night. PHOTO: Jack McKenzie.
Obadiah Dragon drawn to shake his unlucky tag at Cambridge on Thursday night
By Barry Lichter • 18 June 2024
Obadiah Dragon has the right draw to end an unlucky run of placings at Cambridge on Thursday night.
The three-year-old might be the lowest rated in the R42 to R54 field but good marker peg trips win races at Cambridge and, from the pole, Obadiah Dragon look set to enjoy a run close to the pace.
That’s something the horse hasn’t had in his recent racing. From five on the gate at Auckland last week, he started a long run from the back at the bell, three wide to the death, still finding plenty for driver Andre Poutama in the stretch. Beaten only half a length and a head, Obadiah Dragon paced a 1:56.3 mile, clocking the fastest last 800 in 55.2.
Obadiah Dragon has looked a good thing beaten in both his last two starts at Cambridge.
On May 31, after starting from gate seven, he was forced to race four back on the pegs and when finally clear in the home run, he burst through the middle to be denied only a nose and a head by Spirit Of Waiheke and Cyren Shard.
And in his previous run on the track, on May 9, he again became buried three back, spending half the home straight going sideways looking for racing room before flying late to run stablemate Leo Lincoln to just over a length.
Trainer Ray Green says you can’t fault the way Obadiah Dragon is racing.
“Yes, the others are higher graded than him but none of them are stars and most of the time at Cambridge the ones who get the good trips win.
“Absolutely he can win. I wouldn’t like to be laying him.”
Andy Sharpe gets stable runner Commander Lincoln in the first heat of the NZ Amateur Drivers’ Championship.Lincoln Farms’ only other runner on Thursday is Commander Lincoln, who looks a place chance in the second race.
It’s the first heat of the New Zealand Amateur Drivers’ Championship and, spookily, despite a random draw, his driver is Lincoln Farms’ own worker Andrew Sharpe.
Sharpe, who has placed in five of his eight drives this season but is looking for just his second win as an amateur, has piloted the horse in each of the three times he has placed at Cambridge.
Brother Craig was on Commander Lincoln when he finished well at Auckland last start for fifth, after being held up briefly early in the run home.
“I thought he went quite well last time and he’s a chance of getting some of it,” Green said.
Most of the field are regular amateur combatants, with the notable exception of Jeremy Young’s consistent mare Gladys Greenland, the likely favourite, to be driven by Warren Rich.
More news in Harness
Rivergirl Bella finally delivers - and Phil kicks himself for not being there or having a punt
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
Update: Scratched
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
