Sugar Ray Lincoln’s breath-taking recovery undoubted highlight of Lincoln Farms trifecta

“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.