Perfect Stride (Zachary Butcher) trails Double Or Nothing in the first Young Guns heat.
Ray’s message to his Young Guns drivers: Don’t be scared of the blue jersey
By Barry Lichter • 28 December 2018
The barrier draw has conspired against Lincoln Farms’ Young Guns trio at Alexandra Park on Monday but trainer Ray Green isn’t raising the white flag - and he hopes his drivers won’t either.
While the All Stars’ opening Young Guns winner Smooth Deal looks to have a winning edge, perfectly drawn in three this time, Green believes Perfect Stride can give him a real run for his money from four. And he is looking forward to seeing how much Sir Tiger (six) and Double Or Nothing (eight) have improved on their first outings.
“The one thing I don’t want to see is Mark (Purdon) go to the front and everybody else be scared of the blue jersey and settle for running second,’’ says Green.
That’s basically what happened last time when Purdon let the brakes go on Smooth Deal 1200 metres out and took the front off Double Or Nothing.
It will be harder for Double Or Nothing to lead on Monday from the outside of the gate but that doesn’t mean driver David Butcher won’t try.
“If he goes forward it will be tough for him but if he goes back it will be tough as well,’’ says Green.
But an aggressive drive by Zachary Butcher on Perfect Stride could well see him cross Smooth Deal on dispatch - from the pole he clearly had the early edge on Smooth Deal last time when that horse left from eight.
If that happened Green says Perfect Stride has to be a real chance.
We didn’t get to see how close Perfect Stride could have pushed Smooth Deal last time when the horse jumped a pile of poo on the track just as he was moving up on the home turn, galloped and lost two to three lengths and his winning chance.
“I’m sure he’ll have improved from that run. But just how much we won’t know until the day,’’ says Green.
Sir Tiger … likely improver.Sir Tiger was never a factor in the first Young Guns race after racing greenly in the score-up and being slightly back at the start but Green says he’s looking forward to seeing what he can do on Monday.
Sir Tiger became unsettled before the gate moved away last time, actually getting under the arm and bashing it.
Green says he will make sure the attendants are more vigilant this time and help the horse if he needs it.
While Sir Tiger ran only seventh in that first heat he actually ran the equal fastest last half of 56.5 along with winner Smooth Deal and was one tenth of a second faster over his last mile (1:57.1) than runner-up Double Or Nothing.
“He never stops improving and he’s trained quite well this week. He has the potential to spring a surprise and I’ve got Maurice (McKendry) on this time.’’
Trojan needs luck from draw
Trojan Banner has an inside second row draw to contend with in the fourth race but needs only a little luck to be in the money at good odds.
He lost the chance to work into a good possie last week by pacing roughly when trying to follow out the speedy Sezana then was forced down to four deep on the markers.
Driver Andre Poutama got off the markers 450 metres from home and despite being forced four wide turning for home, Trojan Banner sustained a strong finish for fourth, only 1.7 lengths from the winner.
“I thought he flattened out the last bit’’ says Green. “He hasn’t realised the potential we thought he had but with a lot of luck he can be in it.’’
More news in Harness
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
