Sliding blinds go on Sammy Lincoln, a hot favourite for the Lincoln Farms Pace

It might be an omen that Sammy Lincoln lines up a hot favourite in the appropriately named Lincoln Farms Pace at Cambridge on Friday night.

But that isn’t enough to make Lincoln Farms’ senior trainer Ray Green any more confident about his head-scratcher three-year-old.

“On paper, you’d label him, and it’s certainly justified having him a $1.90 favourite, but I’ve talked him up too many times and he’s let us down.

“I thought he should have won his last two starts (after one-one trips) but he’s switched off.

“Matty (White) said he was going to win last week then he turned his head on the side and said no. He doesn’t seem to like going past them.”

Awkward around the home turn when pulled three wide, Sammy Lincoln wound up but came up a neck short behind Sriracha.

Friday’s R35 to R37 rivals, plus two R38 horses with one win to their names, is the weakest field Sammy Lincoln has faced in his 15 starts, several of which have included creditable efforts against the best of his age.

So it’s likely punters will support him again and they’ll be buoyed by the fact the gelding will be tried for the first time in sliding blinds to try to spark him up at the finish.

Andre Poutama is back on this week and, from two on the gate, is expected to try to keep Sammy Lincoln in touch with the leaders.

With anything close to his best, Sammy Lincoln would take the race when you remember he ran fourth behind Jumal, Allamericanplayer and Special Occasion in the Group I Northern Derby in May.

Long odds

The remaining four Lincoln Farms’ runners on the night are all at long odds with Leo Lincoln ($18, $3.50) the best of them.

Leo Lincoln was never a factor last week, having to go back to the tail from an outside draw on the mobile.

But he will be much more competitive from behind the tapes and, being a swift beginner, can take advantage of his front row draw, with class runners The Surfer on 20 metres, Jeremiah on 30 metres and American Me on 40.

“He’s drawn to get a good trip this time, he steps well, and you have to include him in multiples.”

Missy Lincoln scores fresh-up at Alexandra Park. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.The barrier draw has dealt Missy Lincoln ($51, $9) a cruel blow in the Sires’ Stakes heat, Green saying she’ll need a lot of luck from the worst alley, three on the second row.

“She’s capable if things go her way but I won’t be holding my breath on this occasion. “

Green noted Missy Lincoln “half choked down” last week when she was attacked hard for the lead then, after giving way to eventual winner Sriracha, over-raced badly for Harrison Orange and only battled into fourth.

“She took all the energy out of herself and I wouldn’t condemn her on that.”

Green acknowledges Missy Lincoln steps up markedly in grade this time with the likes of Young Guns winner Daisy Bay, Lady Di and Seaside Legacy among her rivals.

Green is willing to forgive sixth race runner Copy Ten Four ($19, $3.90) his poor debut last week.

“He’d never been under lights, it was his first time off the place and he’d never had so many horses on the track, so it was a lot of firsts.

“And it was a bit of a culture shock for him going from the trials to the winner running 2:42.”

Copy Ten Four showed no speed at the start and seemed to lose concentration when he dropped off the back of the field again 600 metres out.

“The second row is an awkward draw for a green horse, they don’t know what’s going on. At least he’s on the gate this time. Even though he’s drawn the outside, let’s hope he can get away a bit faster.”

Colonel Lincoln ($61, $6.50), who is devoid of form, also draws widest on the gate in the eighth race.

“He’s drawn out wide but at least he’s on the gate. Even though he beat only two home last week, Maurice was quite happy with him.

“The first thing he said when he came back was he went well. Maurice was kicking himself for not going round them and putting him into the race when he had the chance.

“He says he’s going to win one but he needs the right race.”