Tommy Lincoln, spreaders on, scores all the way for driver Andre Poutama.
Spreaders do the trick for big Tommy who is worth following at Auckland on Friday
By Barry Lichter • 10 November 2019
Spreaders looked to help Tommy Lincoln when he blazed to an impressive all-the-way win at the Pukekohe workouts yesterday.
Wearing the gear to stop him from getting on a knee, which has hampered him this campaign, Tommy Lincoln never looked like putting a foot wrong as he burst to the early lead in the rating 52 to 66 mobile 2050 metre heat.
Driver Andre Poutama had Tommy pacing along sweetly throughout and he opened up in the run home to clock a closing 400 in a sizzling 26.7.
At the line he had a length and three-quarters to spare over trailer The Paua Diver, Dina Brown and Some Do who finished only necks apart, with the trip run in 2:35.1, a mile rate of 2:01.7.
Trainer Ray Green liked Tommy Lincoln’s closing split and fancies his chances at Auckland this week.
“Tommy’s got on a knee in both his starts this time in but he should be good to show us something on Friday.”
Ace Commander began fast from a stand in the rating 66 and faster trot, leading until the run home when gathered in by The Hulk who scored by a length.
In a close photo finish, Ace Commander held second by half a head over the classy Tickle Me Pink with Delson a nose back fourth, both running on stylishly late.
On the comeback trail after an operation for an entrapped epiglottis, Ace Commander had a high heart rate afterwards and trainer Ray Green says he’s still “a work in progress.”
Captain Nemo leads with Platinum Stride ranging alongside turning for home.Young Guns two-year-olds Captain Nemo, Platinum Stride and Bondi Shake all shaped up well in the two-year-old mile, run left handed.
Zachary Butcher found an easy early lead with Platinum Stride from four but handed up on the first turn to Captain Nemo and Andre Poutama. And that’s how they stayed, with Graeme Rogerson’s $190,000 sale topper Challenger next in the running and Bondi Shake (Andrew Drake) at the rear.
Butcher was out to challenge 600 metres from home and looked to be giving Platinum Stride a very easy time as he went across the line, Captain Nemo getting the judge’s nod by a nose.
There was one and a quarter lengths to Challenger and Dylan Ferguson and half a length to Bondi Shake who resented being hauled back at the start and came widest on the home turn.
The mile was cut out in 2:07.7, with the leading pair going 60.2 for the last 800 and 28.4 for the 400.
It was good effort in his first outing by Captain Nemo, a Captaintreacherous colt out of Arden Caviar, whom Green bought for $110,000 as a yearling in Christchurch in February.
Green has the trio, along with Vanquish Stride, headed for the first Young Guns’ heat at Auckland on December 13.
“It’s less than five weeks away so they’ll need to step up from now. But I’m sure they will, we haven’t pushed them yet.”
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.”
