American Dealer with driver Anthony Butt, trainer Ray Green and Lincoln Farms’ Ian Middleton at left. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Thrilled American owners keen to reward Ray for American Dealer’s Derby triumph
By Barry Lichter • 24 July 2021
American co-owner Gordon Banks is so impressed by the job trainer Ray Green has done with American Dealer, he says it’s on the cards Lincoln Farms will get the horse back next year.
Banks and his Miami cousin Marc Hanover enjoyed one of their happiest moments in racing when the little fighter upstaged his rivals in tonight’s A$102,000 Queensland Derby, turning on a courageous run for driver Anthony Butt to beat Kiwi rival and hot favourite Krug into third.
The Queensland Derby trophy won by American Dealer.“We’ve been lucky with big wins but this is one of the happiest. That was a whole lot of fun after getting up at 5am on a Saturday to watch it.
“I’m very happy for Ray. He’s a wonderful person and a great trainer. And while he’s going to a different trainer because the horse’s immediate targets are in Victoria, we’re not ruling out that he goes back to to New Zealand and Ray at some stage. He deserves it.
“There are some big four-year-old races in New Zealand for him to race in.”
Banks and Hanover, who bought American Dealer from Lincoln Farms in July, 2020, said while the horse went through a bad patch for a month or so recently, Green had rejuvenated him superbly.
“The horse was continually written off without proper respect but he had bad post (draw) after bad post and he’d beaten Krug before.
“Anthony is hot, he’s a great, big money driver. He won a Sires Stakes Final for us with Joannes A Delight (in 2014).
“He pushed awful hard to lead but you could see the horse looked strong the whole way.”
Banks said American Dealer will be floated to Sydney on Monday where he would spell for a month.
Then it was likely he would go to their Victorian trainer Nathan Purdon to prepare for the Victoria Derby and Breeders Crown in October and November.
“It’s awkward with Covid so it’s hard to know how things will play out. But that’s the plan.”
Butt, who won both his earlier drives on the night with Tommy Lincoln and Tough Monarch in the Queensland Trotters’ Cup, was at his brilliant best behind American Dealer.
American Dealer is going strongly at the finish of the Queensland Derby, beating Captain Crusader.Beaten for early speed, his No.1 plan to lead was soon out the window but in true style, he was quick to find an early one-one possie.
And when he saw a challenge coming three wide he had no hesitation in whipping round the field and attacking for the front.
He soon had Krug to contend with as Blair Orange made a run to the death, but the favourite was under heavy pressure turning for home and it was left to Captain Crusader to push him closest.
At the line he had 1.7 metres to spare, clocking a slick mile rate of 1:55.9 for the 2680 metres.
The winner’s purse of A$59,850 took his Brisbane earnings in five starts to A$98,458.
More news in Harness
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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.”
