Tommy Lincoln in terrific form but he’s at the mercy of the pole runner on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 25 September 2021
Drawn the inside of the second row, Tommy Lincoln’s chances rest solely with the horse he follows out at Albion Park on Saturday night.
If Jeradas Delight holds the front, Tommy instantly becomes a live winning chance from the trail.
If the mare hands up, and puts Tommy three deep, he’s realistically only running for a place.
Trainer-driver Mark Dux says that’s the case in a nutshell for Tommy Lincoln who is racing right at the top of his game.
“I’m not sure how much gate speed Jeradas Delight has - she’s rarely drawn the front line - but I’m sure they wont want to be too far back with her.
“It will all come down to how quickly she comes out. She’s quite a good mare and would be a good one to follow.”
In her 24 starts in Queensland Jeradas Delight has racked up seven wins and 11 placings.
Brendan Barnes celebrates his win behind $151 longshot Jeradas Delight in the Golden Girl at Albion Park in July.Three starts back she sprung the upset of the season at Albion Park for driver Brendan Barnes when she downed top Kiwi mares Spellbound and Amazing Dream in the $100,000 Garrards Golden Girl, rating 1:52.5 for the 1660 metres.
Tommy’s best at Albion Park is a front-running 1:52.7 and he has since been just as effective at the longer 2138 metres, the distance of Saturday’s opening event.
“The 2138 metres will be no problem so long as he doesn’t fire up. It’s when he sees open spaces that’s his worst time.
“It’s a tricky alley but but he’s certainly going well enough to be among them.
“He was very good again last week. The leader (Will The Wizard) got away on us again but that was because the others couldn’t get us into the race.”
Angus Garrard has to go round his tiring rivals on Tommy Lincoln as leader Will The Wizard steals a march.When top junior Angus Garrard moved out from the one-one to lodge his challenge, the leader had set up an unassailable lead.
And it didn’t help when he contacted the off-side sulky tyre of Franco Hampton who was giving ground at the 500-metre mark. Tommy Lincoln then hung in near the 400m.
Tommy was still credited with faster closing sectionals than the winner, making up 3.2 metres on Will The Wizard and pacing home in 56.28 and 28.53, with the 1660 metres run in a mile rate of 1:51.7.
The previous week they ran even faster, Tommy finishing a 12.5 metre second to Will The Wizard who was only two tenths of a second outside the 1:50.4 track record jointly held by Im Themightyquinn and Cruz.
Tommy Lincoln just nabbed former Lincoln Farms’ flag bearer Northview Hustler in that event, the Hustler going on to run another ripper for Al Barnes last week when best of Turn It Up’s rivals after a one-one trip. The Hustler starts alongside Tommy on the second row on Saturday night.
Dux takes the reins on Tommy this week, Garrard committed to driving the Darren Weeks runner Speech Is Silver.
Tommy Lincoln races at 8.10pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
Little Missy Lincoln can stand up for herself in Young Guns fillies’ heat on Friday night
Leo poised to roar again - he looks a ratings special at Cambridge on Thursday night
Pole goes on The Night Fox - now he just needs a little luck from a niggly draw on Friday night
$10,000 weanling Johnny Lincoln surprises again with fifth win over white hot blue blood
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Lincoln Maree
5.55pm
“Frank drove a nice race on her last time, doing a bit of work early before leading and trailing, but I think the result might have been different if she’d led all the way. She has no speed, she’s better in front and rolling, so this week we’ll tell Frank to go forward and to not hand up and hopefully she can go one better.”
Race 4: The Night Fox
6.56pm
“He got KOed last time at Auckland but Harry said he felt like he could have won with a decent draw so we’ll just put that race behind us. I wouldn’t say this field is any harder. We’ve got a bad draw again but it depends on how the race pans out. I think he can still win.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.58pm
“He’s doing a good job, and he ran home well last time at Cambridge, but Leo Lincoln is definitely the pick of ours.”
Race 6: Leo Lincoln
7.58pm
“He’ll strip a lot fitter and I think he’s a good winning chance. He’s been racing open class horses and this is a huge drop back for him.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Linda
5.06pm
“I’m not holding my breath. She beat a poor bunch at Cambridge and will have to step up here.”
Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
5.45pm
“Given the right trip, she should finish off not too bad as she has a bit of speed but, after two runs back, she needs to improve.”
Race 7: Missy Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s only little but she trialled super and got home in 2:00.6 mile rate. If she repeats that, she’ll be in the fray. It’s early days yet but she’s a nice, tractable filly who has drawn well in two and, based on that one trial, you’d have to give her a chance. Whether she improves off it, we’ll see.”
Race 8: Spiritual Bliss
8.34pm
“I don’t think any of the others stand over her. She’s a tough mare who has trained on well. I’d love to see her in front, she’s proven that’s where she goes best, but whether she’ll get there from four is debatable. But I’m sure she’ll go another good race.”
