Tommy Lincoln highballing along in front tonight for driver Mark Dux. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Tommy goes all the way, untouched, and there should be more easy kills to come in Brisbane
By Barry Lichter • 22 June 2021
Tommy Lincoln’s owners can look forward to a few more easy kills judging by the way the horse dispatched his opposition at his Albion Park debut tonight.
Lincoln Farms’ speedster was untroubled to pounce on an early lead and win by 11.5 metres, untouched, in a slick mile rate of 1:53.8 for the 1660 metres.
“He really put the boot into them,” said trainer Ray Green.
“It was only over a mile which suits him, against inferior opposition, and he’s got that big gate speed.
“The good thing is he’s still M0 over here so he can win three or four more before he steps up to open class.
“They’ll get progressively harder but he’s up to it and can run again on Saturday week.”
Tommy Lincoln, who started at the restrictive odds of $1.30 after the late scratching of The Hervey Bay, posted closing sectionals of 54.9 and 27.1 for driver Mark Dux to easily stave off a late run by second favourite Ranger Bomb.
He earned $A4582 for the win, the ninth of his career, taking his bankroll to more than $100,000 for Shannon and Brenda Flay, Ian, Kathy and Daniel Parkinson, Debbie Sparks, Ray Menzies, Dennis Ebert, Ian Middleton and John and Lynne Street.
American Dealer might have finished only 20 metres fourth in his Brisbane opener but his run was full of merit and gained a good pass mark from Green and Dux.
“Mark was very happy with his run,” Green said. “He was first-up since the Jewels and was onto it - when Mark asked him to run he really hooked into it.”
Green said the 54.3 and 26.3 closing sectionals run by the leader, the favourite Ilikemebettor, put paid to the Dealer’s chances, who was stuck one out and three back behind horses who couldn’t improve.
“He’s gone as good as the winner as he was wider (three wide when improving from the 400).
“He also put in a couple of steps on the corners but we’ll be working on that.”
The 2138 metres was cut out in the fast time of 2:34, a mile rate of 1:55.9.
“I thought it was a good run. And tonight wasn’t a target race, it was more like a glorified trial.”
NB: The website result listed American Dealer as having had a gear failure but Green said that was just the horses’ bumper wrap coming off in the run home.
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Ray’s comments
Wednesday at Cambridge
Race 3: Spiritual Bliss
1.10pm
“You can’t fault what she’s done up here and she’s trained on really well since Manawatu. She seems to have a good motor and can carry her speed a long way. It’s a bit of a step-up on Wednesday, and she’s drawn out a bit, but she should be right in the fray.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lover
1.45pm
“It’s a huge drop in class for him on what he’s been racing. The Purdon horse Crippa Max looks the one to beat on his trial but I’m picking we’ll finish in the first three at worst. He’s very honest and does nothing wrong.”
Race 6: Lincoln Downs
2.55pm
“She got skittled early last time when one galloped in front of her, and that didn’t help. It would be nice to see her get a good trip, with no incidents, and see what she can do. She’s no superstar but she tries hard.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
4.31pm
“It’s his first race for more than four months and I’m picking he’ll need the run. It was a toss-up whether we went to the trials, but he’d probably have had no opposition, so it made sense to drop him in here. He’s training well and seems in good shape but whatever he does, he’ll improve on.”
