Ray: Little Leo’s under-rated and he can give them a hurry-up at Auckland on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 1 May 2024
Leo Lincoln might be the equal lowest rated horse in the field at Auckland on Friday night but he’s no forlorn hope, says trainer Ray Green.
Rated 47, the Art Major three-year-old takes on better performed rivals rated up to 61 in the ninth race at Alexandra Park but his recent efforts suggest he’s right up to the task.
“He’s an under-rated horse, as good as those others,” says Green.
“He’s proving to be a tidy horse and, while he’s not viewed as a serious player by some, I think he is. He was closing off really well last week behind Hugotastic.”
Three back on the markers, Leo came with a strong home stretch charge to be just three-quarters of a length away at the line, recording closing sectionals of 56.6 and 27.9, his overall clocking of the 2200 metres a slick 2:40.8.
Drawn well in two, Green can see Leo getting another cruisy run on the pegs and giving the 61-raters Skipper and Bad Medicine, both badly drawn, plenty to think about.
Green is not so confident of the Lincoln Farms’ pair Lincoln Lou and Sugar Ray Lincoln filling placings in the $110,000 Young Guns Cardigan Bay Stakes.
They’re out of contention but both Lincoln Lou (Andre Poutama) and Sugar Ray Lincoln (Maurice McKendry) are closing strongly.“Lincoln Lou is a beautiful little horse who doesn’t do anything wrong. He got held up at a crucial time last week and got home well (for sixth).
“He gets out pretty well so should get a good trip from two. He’ll go his usual honest race. He’s improving all the time, he’s a gutsy little guy, but whether he can measure up to the favourites remains to be seen.”
Green is doing no more than hope Sugar Ray Lincoln can do things right.
Last week Sugar Ray turned on another display reminiscent of the early version of his older brother Copy That when he mixed his gait in the opening stages and tailed the field by nearly 10 lengths.
“He’s a work in progress and we’re still dabbling with his gear,” Green said.
Sugar Ray Lincoln is all of 10 lengths behind the field at the bell.Sugar Ray struggled to get his head round tighter hopples last week, “trying to plait his legs”, and it wasn’t until the last 800 metres that he started pacing smoothly for driver Maurice McKendry.
His late charge, albeit in eighth place, nine lengths from winner Demon Blue, gave a hint of the ability under the bonnet.
“He’s actually a naturally good-gaited horse, like all the American Ideals, but he’s going through a stage of not really knowing why he’s out there.
“You just don’t know when he’ll click but three is an ideal draw for him and he should be handy if he does things right.”
With little in the immediate future to aim at, both two-year-olds will go for a spell after the race, says Green.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
