Menu

Our boy Tommy makes the cut for the Inters but he’ll have to make do with a trial to fit him

Trainer Mark Dux is confident Tommy Lincoln will strip fit for the upcoming Interdominion series in Brisbane despite not being able to start him in a lead-up race.

Lincoln Farms’ six-year-old was sitting 26th when final rankings were released today for the 36-horse pacing championship.

A slew of defections, including all 10 of leading trainer Emma Stewart’s entries, saw just 49 horses remaining, with final acceptances taken on Monday when it will become known if tired New Zealand Trotting Cup winner Swayzee will take his place or not.

There will be no New Zealand-trained runners at the carnival with no trotters listed and the sole remaining pacer, Lincoln Farms’ Simply Sam, not making the trip.

But there are a number of former Kiwis, including Tommy Lincoln, who has won eight races campaigning in Queensland since June, 2021.

Dux had planned to give Tommy Lincoln a prep race, given he has not been seen since April, but not enough horses accepted either last week or this week to get the races off the ground.

So Dux will revert to trialling the horse at Albion Park on Friday instead.

“He’ll have a nice, sold trial, without killing him, and that should have him ready. He only needs one good blowout as he comes to hand quickly.”

Tommy Lincoln has already shown he has come back in great order when a five metre second in a 1660 metre trial on November 6 when winner Make Mine Memphis was credited with a sizzling mile rate of 1:50.6, a figure which Dux doubts is correct.

And, while Dux knows Tommy Lincoln isn’t up to beating series favourite Leap To Fame, he believes the horse will cope with the rigorous competition as well as any of his rivals.

Runners must race three times in eight days, the heats run on Friday, December 1, Tuesday, December 5 and Saturday, December 9, with the A$500,000 Ladbrokes Pacing Grand Final a week later.

“I don’t think it will worry him too much. He’s a pretty good doing horse. The third heat over 2680 metres will be the worst race for him (he failed three times in as many attempts over 2700 metres in New Zealand) but not many horses will come through it smiling.”

Dux is hoping Tommy can get a good draw in the opening round when he will be best suited by the 1660 metre sprint.

“A good draw would make a big difference but we won’t be driving him like a good thing. We’ll drive him conservatively.

“It’s been a bit frustrating not getting a race into him but I’m more than happy with where he’s at.”

The final rankings for the trotting and pacing series can be found here.

Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Friday night at Auckland

Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm

“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”

Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm

“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”

Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm

“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”

Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm

“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”

Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm

“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”

Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm

“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”

Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm

“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”

Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm

“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”

Whales Harness