Ray’s saving his best ‘til last - Frisco Bay’s the best of the night at Cambridge on Thursday

Lincoln Farms lines up six horses at Cambridge on Thursday night but you’ll have to wait until the last race to see the best chance in Frisco Bay.

The Downbytheseaside colt’s form is nothing to get excited about but he’s been racing tougher opposition at Auckland where he placed two starts back, a feat which only one of his rivals, Change Tact, has achieved.

Frisco Bay was handled quietly that night by driver Maurice McKendry and came from equal last on the home bend, unleashing the fastest closing quarter to run past all of the field except Aye Aye Captain and Shake A Leg.

Last time, however, he was put into the race early by McKendry, three wide for 700 metres of the first lap before finding one-one cover.

And while he moved up in the slushy conditions to challenge for the lead turning in, the effort told and he peaked in the final 150 metres to run seventh.

Green would like to see the horse driven quietly again this week from gate six.

“When he sat back and had one lash at them he got home really well. Like most horses he can’t burn the candle at both ends.

“But the ability is certainly there and, if things go his way, he’s a serious chance. He’d be our best chance of the night.”

Green, who bought Frisco Bay for just $9000 as a weanling and now races him with Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street, thought the colt would have won a race long before now.

But when he didn’t live up to his early rating as potentially the best two-year-old in Lincoln Farms’ barn, Green discovered Frisco Bay’s air intake was being compromised by two little flaps in his throat, which were trimmed back in minor surgery last year.

He showed in his second run back at Auckland on March 1 that he was in better health when he fired to an early lead. It was all looking good until he was attacked hard by eventual winner Smart And Mighty and started racing too fiercely, eventually tiring to fourth.

Zachary Butcher … handles the unpredictable Lincoln Cove.If Frisco Bay can stay relaxed, Green thinks he can end the night on a high but he is nowhere near as confident he can start the meeting so well with Lincoln Cove (race 2).

Backed heavily to start a hot favourite in both his recent runs at Cambridge, Lincoln Cove has looked the winner each time but extinguished his chances by galloping in nearly the same spot on the home turn.

New head gear

Driver Zachary Butcher was confident a single spreader would solve the problem last time, preventing the horse from brushing his knee, but the stable has reached for new head gear this time, replacing blinds and removeable deafeners with a pacifier and fixed deafeners.

“Zac said he was travelling well when he broke last time but he’s a young, green horse who might need some more practice.

“He can win easy, peasy if he does things right but he can’t be relied on. He’ll win races but he’s too unpredictable to label.”

Green says even the most casual of punters can see it will be very hard for Leo Lincoln to win the fifth race, given its cruel wide rating band.

As a rating 48 pacer, Leo gets the pole draw, but he has to take on rivals rated as high as 64.

Two of those, Little Spike (R61) and Vessem (R64) are coming off the Northern Derby, Arna Donnelly’s pacer an excellent fourth and the Purdon runner an unlucky sixth behind Cold Chisel.

“Leo won well last time but this is much harder,” Green said. “It’s a real sign of the times, with so many horses being lost overseas, but he’s got to race somewhere, we can’t retire him, so we just have to cop it.

“From the draw he should get a good trip and if he races up to his best form he’d be a rough place chance, I suppose.”

Obadiah Dragon … tougher opposition than at Manawatu. PHOTO: Jack McKenzie.Obadiah Dragon doesn’t have a wide rating band to overcome in the sixth race but the opposition he faces is still much bettor than that which allowed him to win and run third at the recent Manawatu meeting.

“He’s not the worst in the field but I won’t be holding my breath.”

Green lines up two in the seventh race, both unlikely winners with Commander Lincoln starting from the pole and Lenny Lincoln from four on the second row.

Commander Lincoln has a last-start second alongside his name but that was in a weak amateur race at Cambridge last month.

“He’s really only going for a ride round, but he might as well race as go to the trials. If he could hold up from the draw and stay handy you could hope like hell he lobs into some money but he’s not a betting proposition.

“Lenny beat only an average field last time and will need a lot of luck from the draw.”