Tommy Lincoln is an outsider for the Interdominion series but will get his chance in the opening heat. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Tommy Lincoln draws perfectly for first round of Inters at Albion Park on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 28 November 2023
Lincoln Farms’ Tommy Lincoln will get his chance in the opening heat of the Interdominion Pacing Championship in Brisbane on Friday night after drawing perfectly in two.
Trainer Mark Dux had been hoping for a good front row draw in the opening round over 1660 metres, believing it is his best chance to score good points on the Albion Park track which favours on-pace runners.
He will meet series third favourite Rock N Roll Doo, who fared badly on the outside of the gate and former Kiwi Spirit Of St Louis who will also need luck from the inside of the second row.
Local champion and Grand Final favourite Leap To Fame drew four in the third pacer’s heat and, while New Zealand Trotting Cup winner Swayzee will leave from two in the fourth heat, he won’t be able to match the early speed of gate flyer Turn It Up in five.
The three favourites in the trotting series all look set to score good points with Ollivici drawn three in the opening heat, New Zealand-owned Queen Elida four in the second heat and Just Believe the pole in the third heat.
Pacing heats
Trotting heats
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
