Shit happens … but you don’t expect this during a race!
By Barry Lichter • 15 December 2018
Perfect Stride found a novel way to be beaten on debut when he jumped a pile of poo at Alexandra Park last night.
Lincoln Farms’ Young Guns favourite was just moving up to attack the leader and subsequent winner Smooth Deal 400 metres from home when he spotted something on the track in front of him, put in a big leap and galloped.
Driver Zachary Butcher did well to get the two-year-old back down and pacing quickly and, despite losing two to three lengths, he recovered well to run third, three-quarters of a length behind stablemate Double Or Nothing.
Butcher confirmed his horse jumped poo on the track.
“The way Smooth Deal went I don’t think we’d have beaten him but he would have run second.
“He didn’t help himself either by pulling very hard in the running.’’
The race pretty much went to script early with Perfect Stride, a little brother to Chicago Bull, securing the trail behind Double Or Nothing.
Double Or Nothing … green but good.But David Butcher, behind Double Or Nothing, could see his lead was under threat when Mark Purdon gunned Smooth Deal out from the outside of the gate.
“Mark just waited until we straightened and then he came. I ran him a little but he was serious and it’s a long season so I handed up.’’
That meant son Zachary was virtually forced to pop off the pegs at the 900 with Perfect Stride to avoid being pocketed three deep.
Both his effort and that of Double Or Nothing, on a 56.5 half and 27.7 quarter, augured well for the second Young Guns race on New Year’s Eve.
“My bloke was a little green,’’ said David Butcher of Double Or Nothing who, after some sterling workouts, was surprisingly only the sixth favourite. “He ran round a bit, but it was a good run.’’
Lincoln Farms’ third runner Sir Tiger ran seventh, not helped by a wide draw and the fact he became stirred up before the gate left, tangling with the mobile arm.
Smooth Deal, who romped in by three and three-quarter lengths, was credited with a slick mile rate of 1:56.3, helped round the bends by the addition of a rein burr.
He was the one that got away from Lincoln Farms’ owner John Street who was underbidder on the $230,000 yearling sales topper.
More news in Harness
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Third time lucky for Wave’s little bro Omaha Lincoln who finally debuts at Auckland
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
