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Ray reaches for the shades to stop Leo from switching off at Auckland on Friday night

Trainer Ray Green is hoping the addition of blinds will help keep Leo Lincoln’s mind on the job at Auckland on Friday night.

The Art Major two-year-old appeared to throw away a win last week when, just 50 metres from home he eased off the pedal, allowing two runners to swamp him by half a head and half a neck.

When driver Andre Poutama swept up four wide turning for home and pounced on the leaders, Leo Lincoln looked to be in for his second win as a maiden - a rare luxury because his dead-heat win at Cambridge in August meant he didn’t go up in grade.

Invisible and Delightful Reality swamp Leo Lincoln on the line.Invisible and Delightful Reality swamp Leo Lincoln on the line.It was a good effort considering from five on the gate, he was trapped out three wide in no man’s land round the first turn.

Leo starts from the same position on the arm on Friday night but is drawn inside the likely favourite, The Telfer-trained Slots.

“Hopefully he can get in sooner this week and he should go better,” Green said. “They went 2:41.7 last time too and it was only his second run for a while so he probably needed it.”

Green’s own horse My Copy gets his chance at odds when he drops significantly in grade in the third race.

Don’t be fooled by his last-start eighth in a rating 47 to 53 race - it was much better than it would appear on paper.

Forced to drop back to the rear from the outside gate, driver Maurice McKendry was still last turning for home but made good ground to finish only four lengths from Nelson’s Boy. Only one horse in the race bettered My Copy’s closing sectionals of 55.4 and 28.2.

On Friday night he runs in an average looking rating 41 to 46 race, his only handicap a niggly gate.

“Six is a tricky draw so he’ll need luck,” Green said. “But you can’t fault anything he’s done this time in and this field is a lot easier than last time.”

Green can’t see Onyx Shard matching her stablemate from the outside draw.

“She’s had no chance with the draws and trips she’s been getting. From the outside she’s going to struggle to get a decent run again but hopefully she’ll finish on well.”

Simply Sam and Lincoln River both look chances in the sixth race, Green favouring Sam because of his better turn of foot.

“River lacks a bit of high speed but makes up for it by being very rugged and he’s drawn to get a good trip.

“He’s such a little pro I think he’ll manage the step up in class.”

Andre Poutama is stuck in the trail behind eventual winner Miki Shan and has to yank him sideways to try to find a gap.Andre Poutama is stuck in the trail behind eventual winner Miki Shan and has to yank him sideways to try to find a gap.Simply Sam had a couple of excuses for finishing only sixth last week.

Bottled up three back on the pegs, Poutama was frustrated for a pegs run behind eventual winner Miki Shan and was only two lengths away at the line.

“I took a blood off him also which showed he was slightly tied up which explains his lack of enthusiasm at the finish.

“I’m hoping he’s better this week and, with his speed, if he’s sitting on River’s back you’d expect him to roll over the top of him.”

Our runners this week

Friday night at Auckland

What’s Up The Hill.

Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Tuesday twilight at Manawatu

Race 3: Onyx Shard
5.09pm

“She’s working really well and, from the good draw, hopefully she can run a drum. The field’s not that much harder than the one she beat last time at Manawatu (when parked for the last lap).”

Race 3: Kevin Kline
5.09pm

“We’re very happy with him - he’s come back a better horse. He went well at Auckland last start and is working well. We’ll be looking to go forward from the gate and hopefully get a gun run through behind Onyx Shard. On ability, he’s the better chance of the two.”

Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.39pm

“He stepped like a bullet in his first go from a stand here in March. I thought he’d do the same on the second day but he galloped. We’ve got an overcheck on and hopple shorteners on Tuesday so he should make a good beginning. If he can step and lead, then maybe take a trail, he should be hard to beat. He likes it down there where the track is quite soft.”

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Thursday night at Manawatu

Race 3: Onyx Shard
6.04pm

“I thought I had Kevin Kline covered on Tuesday when we got to the straight because she was really travelling but he kicked away on us. It would be nice if she can get out of the gate as well again - she has good gate speed - and, if she does, she can get some of it again.”

Race 3: Kevin Kline
6.04pm

“He was too good for them on Tuesday, thanks to a great Fergy drive, and he’s in the same field again this time. The extra distance and wide draw shouldn’t make much of a difference and he’s our best of the night.”

Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.02pm

“He’ll be hard to beat again if he steps like he did on Tuesday. The 10 metre handicap shouldn’t stop him. I think he’s even better if he follows something and the extra 500 metres isn’t a worry.”

Dan Costello Race Photography