Ray gives reformed Rascal his ‘most likely to succeed’ report from the pole on Friday night

A horse who had been on Lincoln Farms’ transfer list looks its best winning chance at Auckland on Friday night.

The Rascal ($3.50, $.28) endeared himself to no one in his first prep and when he paced roughly on debut last November co-trainer Ray Green admits he was in danger of being discarded.

But the Sweet Lou colt has looked a different animal this time in and was unlucky not to win in both his last two starts.

Commentator Aaron White called The Rascal a certainty beaten two starts back when he tried to squeeze through a narrow gap near the post and locked wheels.

The Rascal … has really turned the corner.Last Friday, The Rascal looked in danger of running nearer last than first when he started pacing roughly 500 metres out and by the home turn had dropped off his three back position by three lengths.

Once balanced in the run home, however, the three-year-old sprouted wings for driver Peter Ferguson and at the post was only half a neck, a head and a neck behind Big Herb, Franco Salah and Tytate, clocking the fastest equal last 400 in 27.6.

“All going well, he should win what is a poor maiden field this week,” said Green of The Rascal who tackled race winners last time.

“He’s elevated himself from the transfer list and is going well now. He doesn’t have huge gate speed, so he may not lead them. I’d say something will cross him but he should get a good trip from one.

“On paper, he’s our best chance of the night. You’d have to rate him our ‘most likely to succeed’.”

Johnny Lincoln … untested to win at his last start. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.Johnny has the edge

Green and his training partner Nathan Delany line up three horses in the fifth race and they believe newcomer two-year-old Johnny Lincoln ($5.50, $1.85) could have the edge over Tyson ($17, $3.80) and Sugar Ray Lincoln ($9.50, $2.60).

“Tyson is a nice horse and Sugar Ray is down in grade but I think Johnny can be competitive with them.

“He won well last week and has trained on well. He’s promising. I couldn’t go as far as to say he’s a classic colt yet but we’ll find out soon enough.”

Green knows Friday’s race is a step-up from the two-year-old maiden field Johnny beat last time but he says racing older, more experienced horses will do him good.

“A bit of it might rub off on him. I think he’s the best of ours in the race but if he can’t handle them, I‘ll give him a break.”

Virus

Green also likes the chances of Tyson who was found to have a virus after his last-start fourth at Auckland.

“The next morning snot was pouring out his nose and that’s why he didn’t finish it off as well as we expected. He only whacked away in the run home.

“With that gone, he should race better.”

Green says Sugar Ray Lincoln is “doing his head in” and the horse had no excuse for breaking 750 metres out last week.

“Maurice (McKendry) didn’t blame the wet track. He said he was gliding along, travelling beautifully, when for no apparent reason he put in big steps.

“I’ll put a hood on him this time to see if it’s a nervous issue.”

Sugar Ray starts from the outside of the second line.

Lincoln’s Spice … “a real little tradesman.”Sammy lame

The Lincoln Farms’ assault is down to two in the two-year-old race, Green forced to scratch the best of them, Sammy Lincoln, while he investigates the source of his sudden lameness.

Pole runner Lincoln Downs ($18, $2.50) was no match for Lincoln’s Spice ($2.60, $1.26) in their latest workout and Green says she’s definitely not as good.

“Some lift their game when the money’s up so maybe she can pick up a cheque but Spice looks a pretty decent chance of winning.

“She’s a real little tradesman, does nothing wrong, is easy to handle, is a nice drive, tries hard, is great gaited and has the potential to get stronger.”

Green recalled the American Ideal filly’s dam Spice It Up had real speed when trained at Lincoln Farms.

“But she had bad tie-up problems and in the end tried to bow a tendon.”

The presence of Mantra Blue ($1.28) in the opening five-horse race stops Green from declaring either Leo Lincoln ($7.50, $1.35) or Kevin Kline ($7.50, $1.35).

“Leo is racing very well. He would have run second last week (to American Me) had he not spooked at the winning post.

“These are tidy horses he’s racing against but he’s holding his own.”

Green fancies we’ll see a much better Kevin Kline this week with the return to a mobile start.

The consistent pacer was slow away in his first test behind the tapes last Friday and then “had to do all the donkey work” when parked for the last lap.

“He was only half a length behind Leo at the finish and is knocking on the door.

“Maurice really likes him because he just puts him into cruise control and he keeps going.”