Stratford mare’s Smokin for Ray and looks the best of Lincoln Farms’ chances on Friday night

Smokinhotcheddar only has to race up to her effort in the Northern Mares’ Classic to be hard to roll at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

Smokinhotcheddar, who Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green prepares for Stratford owner Phil Fleming, ran a brave third in the Listed $40,000 feature at Auckland last week, best of the rest behind the far higher rated Plutonium Lady (R75) and Need You Now (R79).

On Friday she drops back to a rating 52 to 57 event, with only seven rivals and should get her chance from gate four.

“If she races as well as last week she’s a good chance,” says Green.

“She’s as game as they come, she just lacks a yard of speed against the good ones.”

Green took over training the four-year-old Betterthancheddar mare on the departure of former Lincoln Farms’ worker Andre Poutama and says she has become much more solid in recent weeks.

“She wasn’t 100% safe before but is quite tractable now and the vet work we had done on her has made all the difference.”

Green rates Smokinhotcheddar the best of his four runners on Friday but gives chances to each of the rest.

The Fleming-owned Hail Lucius debuts along with Arden’s Horizon in the seventh race for two-year-olds, where all bar one of the eight runners are unknown race night quantities.

“It looks an even bunch on paper and the winner will be the one which gets the best trip. Barry Purdon’s pair (Miki Montana and Montana Glory) have drawn better but I like both of ours.

“Hail Lucius is a neat little fella who has been improving every time we run him. It’s his first run off the place but he’s been trialling really well.”

By Sportswriter out of the Fleming producer Wicklow Heather, Hail Lucius is a half brother to the good pacers Hail Christian (9 wins) and Our Wicklow (11 wins).

Arden’s Horizon has been consistently good at the workouts and trials.Arden’s Horizon, a Bettor’s Delight colt out of Arden’s Rose, will be having his first start for John and Lynne Street, their business manager Ian Middleton, Green, Dave and Daphne Jones and some familiar names from other Lincoln Farms’ partnerships - the Excell Syndicate, Steve Beckett, Kevin Bell, Margaret Rabbitt and the Athenry Syndicate.

He has been a consistently good performer at the Pukekohe workouts and trials, winning on February 27 and pipped a nose by Miki Montana in his latest on March 6.

“I think both will go well but if they can just get round safely and get home well first time I’ll be happy”.

The Lincoln Farms’ attack is completed by Tartan Robyn in the sixth race, where he comes in to four after the scratching of Franco Riot.

Tartan Robyn was a huge fourth two starts back, after being attacked mercilessly in the lead, and his fifth last time behind Mimi E Coco who ran 2:40.5, also had merit.

“He’s an honest, big horse,” says Green. “He’s no star but he went well last week and is a chance.”