Perfect Stride has felt flat in his work over the last few days.
Perfect Stride not so perfect so he’ll have a week off
By Barry Lichter • 5 February 2019
Lincoln Farms’ assault on the Young Guns heat at Auckland on Friday night is down to four after trainer Ray Green decided today to scratch Perfect Stride.
The younger brother to champion Chicago Bull had drawn gate three and would have started a warm favourite after his dominating win in the last two-year-old feature.
But Green says the colt, raced by leading Australian owner Emilio Rosati, has not been himself in the last few days and he won’t be taking any risks with him.
“Zac (Butcher) said he didn’t show his usual zip in his workout last Saturday and Andre (Poutama) also said he didn’t feel his usual self in his work this morning.
“There’s obviously something not quite right so we’ll get the vet out to see if we can find a problem and he’ll probably have a week off.’’
With Perfect Stride out, the $25,000 race will have only five starters, Lincoln Farms looking a chance to have the first four home with Line Up, Sir Tiger, Double Or Nothing and Copy That.
Butcher, Perfect Stride’s regular driver, will switch to Line Up who has been ultra impressive in his recent workouts at Pukekohe.
The fifth runner, Eagle Watch, is trained by Mike Berger and has been unplaced in his three starts.
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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.”
