Sugar Ray Lincoln stomps home down the outside, with Tyson and Leo Lincoln inside him.
Sugar Ray Lincoln’s breath-taking recovery undoubted highlight of Lincoln Farms trifecta
By Barry Lichter • 7 December 2024
“He’s just like his brother, he does everything wrong.”
That was trainer Ray Green’s immediate reaction to Sugar Ray Lincoln’s off-the-canvas win at Auckland on Friday night, which had all the hallmarks of his older brother Copy That.
In a recovery which had commentator Aaron White in raptures, Sugar Ray Lincoln overcame a gallop 1450 metres from home which saw him go back to second last a round from home but somehow effortlessly score, going away, in a sizzling 2:40.9 for the 2200 metres.
Starting his run four wide and being forced five wide round the home turn, the colt powered up to reel in stablemates Tyson and Leo Lincoln, breaking the clock with his sectionals.
“He showed tonight what he’s always been capable of,” Green said.
“He’s always shown us he’s something special but he hasn’t made it easy for us. Copy That is a hard act to follow, and I don’t think he’s one of them, but he’s on a similar path.”
Part-owner Debbie Green with Sugar Ray Lincoln after his breath-taking win.Like Copy That, recently retired the winner of $2 million and two New Zealand Trotting Cups, Sugar Ray took six starts to win a race, his misbehaviour costing him a number of times.
Friday night’s win was his third from 15 starts for owners Debbie Green, John and Lynne Street, Ian Middleton and Phil Cook, after a fruitless southern campaign blighted by a virus.
“He’s got a lot of potential and hopefully he can go on with it now,” Green said.
The race was a messy watch for Green, who lined up five runners, four of whom who looked out of it halfway through the race.
When Sugar Ray galloped outside the leader, a chain reaction through the field saw Lincoln Lou run into the back of Leo Lincoln and gallop, hampering both Tyson who had to take evasive action and Kevin Kline who galloped.
Only Leo Lincoln and Peter Ferguson were unaffected and turning for home, when he eased out of the one-one, Ferguson thought for a fleeting second that “he was going to blow them away.”
“I thought, you beauty, but he took two strides then got rocky in his pacing action and lost his confidence.”
Meanwhile, Nathan Delany and Tyson were sweeping into the action.
“I could hear Sugar Ray on my back and thought I’d better get going,” Delany said. “But it didn’t help when he started dropping his head on the final bend. He might need an overcheck.”
Tyson comfortably held second, three lengths in front of Leo Lincoln, with another three lengths to Kevin Kline (fifth).
“Tony (Herlihy) was happy with the way he finished,” Green said.
Andre Poutama rued the terrible run Lincoln Lou endured from his wide draw.
“Everywhere he went, something broke in front of him.”
Checked again in the run home when taking evasive action at the 100, Lincoln Lou ran ninth, a total forgive run.
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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.”
