Recco Lover challenges up the lane with Star Galleria, obscured beside him, and Jack’s Legend and On The Cards further out. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.
Recco a ripper and Ray’s hoping he keeps on improving
By Barry Lichter • 13 March 2019
Recco Lover ran the race of his life against the cup class pacers last week and trainer Ray Green is hoping he’ll continue to get even better.
Green felt a big dose of satisfaction watching Recco Lover nearly win the Group II City Of Auckland Free-for-all, challenging up the passing lane and looking for a few seconds like he’d run past Jack’s Legend, On The Cards and Star Galleria.
While he couldn’t quite get there, even ace driver Tony Herlihy thought he’d still run third, the photo finish camera giving a nose margin to weakening pacemaker Star Galleria.
“We know he’s competitive at that level now,’’ says Green of Recco Lover who was only a half head, three-quarters of a length and a nose from the winner.
“If he’d only run in the first half of the field I’d have been happy.’’
Recco Lover drops back in grade on Friday night to a rating 62 to 81 stand over 2700 metres and is sure to be well backed on the strength of his latest showing, even from a 20 metre handicap.
“Stands don’t seem to worry him,’’ says Green.
Two starts back Recco Lover was first away in a 2200 metre stand and trailed hot favourite Mach Shard all the way before claiming him by half a head up the lane.
He shares the back mark with Mach Shard and Check In on Friday, 10 metres ahead of stablemate Zealand Star, and Green is hoping he’ll get a decent trip and be in the money again.
“I’ve just kept him ticking over this week. He didn’t need to be drilled.’’
In his last standing start Zealand Star, on the outside of the track, comes down pacing but has lost too much ground in a sprint.Hopple shorteners for Star
Green will use hopple shorteners on Zealand Star in an attempt to help him get away from the standing start after he muffed it two starts back. But he’s not sure where the horse is at after a mystery run last week when he only battled into third.
Dropping back in grade to rating 55 to 75 company, Zealand Star was expected to be very hard to beat, even against the All Stars’ Kayla Marie and Bubbled Up.
And after he secured the one-one sit, driver Zachary Butcher was thinking he might win when he hooked him out in the run home.
“But he flattened out quickly and Zac said he didn’t show his usual zip.”
Suspecting the horse “might have some passengers on board” - viral bugs, like many in his stable - Green pulled a blood off the horse.
“But it came back good so I can’t explain it.
“I’d like to think on his previous form he’ll be a big show on Friday but it depends entirely on the start.’’
Two starts back, in his first stand for 12 months, he galloped soon after the tapes were released and lost crucial ground.
With Butcher committed to Mach Shard and his dad David to Check In, Green has engaged in-form driver Todd Mitchell for Zealand Star.
Maurice McKendry … drives Just Wing It.A new driver, Maurice McKendry, will also be in the cart of Just Wing It in the fourth race with Zachary Butcher behind leading hope Benson Boys.
Just Wing It and Butcher got their army of supporters home in a weak field at Cambridge last time, enjoying a one out one back cruise for the last lap, before scraping in by a neck over Ball Of Art.
But the horse won’t be at $1.40 this time and the ace draw might be his enemy not his friend.
“He’s a chance but I’m not sure if he’s got a lot of gate speed. He should end up one, two or three fence but it’s hard to predict these things.
“Hopefully he’ll be in the money again. He’ll win more races but he’s just a horse, there’ll be no Interdominion glory with him.’’
More news in Harness
Fine Cambridge double but Ray’s packing Lincoln Cove off to Matamata for scintigraphy
34 more meetings in the north next season as Auckland reclaims Friday nights
No way to sugar coat it - it’s tricky to predict what Sugar Ray will do on Friday night
Argyle out of action, injured, and barrier draw will take Nemo out of play too on Saturday
Our runners this week
Saturday night at Albion Park
Captain Nemo.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Major Achievement
5.19pm
“It’s his first race for a while and he hasn’t been setting the world on fire at the workouts. But he’s been racing better animals and this isn’t a stellar bunch. He’s a chance if things go his way. I’ve given Mathew Salaivao the drive.”
Race 1: Commander Lincoln
5.19pm
“He’s an average horse but the last time he raced here in amateur company he all but won. He’ll need luck from the second row but, while I couldn’t label him, he’s a runner’s chance.”
Race 5: Onyx Shard
6.59pm
“She got a bit sick for a while with a virus and I had to back off her. She seems over that now but I’m picking she’ll need a race. This will be like a glorified trial for her.”
Race 8: My Copy
8.14pm
“He came to the end of it so I gave him a little freshen-up and he seems in good shape again. It will be interesting to see how he goes fresh - he may need a race but he’ll appreciate the step-down in class. I’m running him here so he doesn’t come up against any bear cats first-up.”
Race 9: Lincoln Cove
8.47pm
“Hopefully he’s getting better but you’ve just got to take him on trust. He has ability but the desire has been sadly lacking. Zac will have to sit quietly on him as he broke when given only one tap with the stick last time. The small field will suit him as he won’t be too far off them. If he doesn’t make any mistakes, he’ll give them a fright.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Leo Lincoln
6.43pm
“Maurice said he would have finished a lot closer last time than sixth (fourth or even third) had he not locked wheels at the 100. That took all his momentum away. He’s been holding his form well and he gets out well enough to use the inside draw. He’s a chance to get some of the money.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.39pm
“He did have marks on his boot after his last run and trying a spreader on him has helped. But he’s a real baby. He has real ability but he’s still developing mentally and physically and we’re still finding our way with him.”
Race 5: Lincoln Lou
7.39pm
“He’s racing well but he’ll find it tough from the outside draw.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.07pm
“I can’t see her improving enough to give the Purdon/Phelan trio a fright. She can go (fast) enough but still has a lot to learn. The main thing for her is getting round safely. She’s put two in a row now so hopefully she’ll start improving.”
Race 10: Lincoln La Moose
9.59pm
“He had an excuse last time - he got wiped out on the first corner and that was the end of his race. I like him, he’s a nice horse, just not quite as experienced as Frisco Bay.”
Race 10: Frisco Bay
9.59pm
“I lean towards Frisky as the better chance of our two. You can’t fault what he did the other night at Cambridge, and he seems to be on the improve. He’s more reliable than Lincoln La Moose.”
