Man Of Action pacing strongly in front for Zachary Butcher at the Pukekohe trials last Saturday.
Our man’s ready for action at Cambridge on Friday night and Ray has the gear issue sorted
By Barry Lichter • 8 January 2020
It should be straight to the front and see ya’ later for Man Of Action when he resumes at Cambridge on Friday night.
Drawn two in the second race, driver Zachary Butcher should have no trouble leading and dictating on the half brother to Make Way, judging by the way he’s dispatched his rivals in his last two trials and a workout at Pukekohe.
And trainer Ray Green says gear changes he’s made to the three-year-old should stop any late indiscretions from blotting his run on Friday.
Despite winning his last two trials, Man Of Action has put in short gallops 200 metres from home, before recovering to win.
But Green believes he’s had the horse’s hopples a little long.
“We’ve pulled them up a hole and and also pulled up his overcheck which should steady him up.
“On paper he looks the winner. He’s a lot stronger now than the last time he raced. He’s always had the ability but just couldn’t finish it off.”
Man Of Action last raced at Auckland in July when he led and was collared 100 metres out, and he was also close up in his three previous starts at Alexandra Park when he racked up a second and two thirds in stronger fields than he meets at Cambridge.
His biggest threat on Friday night looks to be Tony Herlihy’s Delightful Catherine, who dragged a punctured tyre after an early check last start and was held up badly turning for home in her previous start.
Classie Reactor only needs to do things right to finish in the money.Green says he isn’t oozing in confidence with Lincoln Farms’ other runner on Friday, but says if Classie Reactor can get round safely in the fourth race, he can finish in the money.
Classic Reactor had a rough introduction to northern racing early last month when he had to work wide and hard to find the death seat at Auckland, and weakened in the stretch, eventually pacing roughly and breaking 50 metres out.
“He wasn’t 100 percent sound then but we’ve done a lot of work in that department and think we’ve rectified that.
“There are a few handy ones in there like Steve Telfer’s Parker and Ivana Flybye, but he’s got a bit of speed.
“I don’t want to send him though. I want to see him get round safely without doing anything wrong.
“He does get a knee that way round. I think he goes better right-handed which is the way he’s been trialling.
“But I’ll put a spreader on him on Friday which will help.”
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Angelic Copy
4.53pm
“She’s done everything right and trialled really nicely. I think she’s forward enough to give some cheek. She’s only small. You like to think when you get a good two-year-old like her that they’ll get stronger and transition into a nice three-year-old but she hasn’t grown an inch. But she tries hard and enjoys being out there.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.28pm
“I’m looking forward to seeing him. You never really know ’til you get to the races but he’s trialled well enough to start and I wouldn’t be surprised if he went a good race, despite the draw. He’s a nice sensible colt who’s done nothing wrong and he could develop into a really nice three-year-old.”
Race 6: Lincoln Wave
7.22pm
“He was starting to get into the habit of switching off so we trained him in blinds this week and he went pretty well. He was good from a standing start at the trials with shorteners in and Maurice was actually quite bullish about his standing start manners and thinks that, in time, he’ll end up being a quick beginner. If he steps well, and can land in the first one or two, he’ll definitely be hard to get round.”
Race 6: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.22pm
“He’s not spectacular from a stand but he will get away, albeit sometimes a bit slowly. Lincoln Wave has more speed than him but if it comes down to a slugfest he’d be too strong as he’s rock hard fit.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.23pm
“The blinds go back on this week and if he steps and leads like he did three starts ago that would make him the one to beat. He showed with that win that he’s above average and will be a serious chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.23pm
“You could argue she’s a Cambridge horse but sometimes when you throw them in with the bear cats they lift their game and I thought she was really good here last week. Tony (Cameron) said she’d have finished a bit closer too if he hadn’t had to take hold of her close to home (when he ran out of room and hit a marker pole).”
Race 8: Sammy Lincoln
8.23pm
“We’ve got blinds on him this week. Harry said he lost concentration a couple of times last week, including at the top of the straight, and thought he’d be a bit more on to it with blinds on. I still thought his was the run of the race last time - none of the others could have done what he did - and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him score.”
