
Tommy Lincoln … loves rolling in front in sprint trips. PHOTO: Race Images.
Tommy poised to go wire to wire on Tuesday and Dealer’s class should shine through
Speedster Tommy Lincoln is beautifully placed to open Lincoln Farms’ Brisbane carnival assault on a winning note at Albion Park on Tuesday.
And classy three-year-old American Dealer needs only an ounce of luck from the second line to make it an opening double later in the night.
The scratching of Imasportsstar in the sixth race brings Tommy Lincoln in to two on the front row from where he looks a certain leader, pole runner Oyster Stride devoid of gate speed.
“He does look well placed,” says Green. “And if he leads, he’ll be hard to beat.”
Green says Tommy Lincoln has shown he is in good shape in training since arriving in Queensland and his host Mark Dux, who takes the reins on Tuesday, has driven the horse in work.
“Mark has a good handle on him now and he’s a good driver, very experienced.”
Tommy Lincoln is too fast for Star Galleria and Dance Time in a 1:54.4 mile at Auckland last October, one of his four wins this season. PHOTO: Megan Liefting.Tommy Lincoln, who has the scalps of Copy That and Star Galleria hanging on his belt from sprint trips in New Zealand, goes into the 1660 metre event on the back of an excellent sixth in the Four-Year-Old Emerald on Harness Jewels day at Cambridge on June 6.
Burned early to cross Kango, Tommy Lincoln then took a trail on eventual winner South Coast Arden at the bell and battled bravely in the straight to finish only four lengths from the winner, himself pacing the mile in 1:52.5.
“He won’t have to run that fast on Tuesday.”
The main dangers look to be up-and-comer Ranger Bomb, but he hasn’t raced for more than four months and has to start from the outside of the front row, and The Hervey Bay, who paced a huge race wide when scoring in a 1:53.4 mile rate at Albion Park in March.
Green hasn’t planned on tackling the feature Wondai’s Mate 1660 on Saturday week when stablemate Copy That will clash with leading Australians King Of Swing, Expensive Ego and Spirit Of St Louis, but says Tuesday’s performance will help tell him where the horse sits on the pecking order.
American Dealer drives up the passing lane to down It’s All About Faith at Ashburton, clocking 1:53.3.The same applies to American Dealer who tackles rating 62 to 69 rivals from two on the second row in the ninth race.
“If he’s on top of his game I think he’ll be too good for them,” says Green.
American Dealer turned in a baffling and uncharacteristic fifth in his latest start on Jewels day at Cambridge, driver David Butcher reporting he felt flat the whole way.
It was one of the worst runs of his career which has been studded with superlative performances, often from bad alleys.
“A lot of horses didn’t perform on Jewels day so I’ve just put the line through it.
“He’s in good shape and I’m sure he’ll go well.”
American Dealer proved he was potent over a mile when clocking 1:53.3 at Ashburton last October, beating It’s All About Faith and Krug.
Green believes recent Kiwi import Rocknroll King, formerly trained in the south by Kirsten Barclay and Tank Ellis, could be the one to beat from the pole after his recent brace of wins at Albion Park.
Tommy Lincoln races at 6.03pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
American Dealer races at 7.52pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
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Phone home - ET trotter Whats Up The Hill blasts off with narrow Escape at Auckland
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Friday night at Auckland
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Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 3: Onyx Shard
5.09pm
“She’s working really well and, from the good draw, hopefully she can run a drum. The field’s not that much harder than the one she beat last time at Manawatu (when parked for the last lap).”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
5.09pm
“We’re very happy with him - he’s come back a better horse. He went well at Auckland last start and is working well. We’ll be looking to go forward from the gate and hopefully get a gun run through behind Onyx Shard. On ability, he’s the better chance of the two.”
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.39pm
“He stepped like a bullet in his first go from a stand here in March. I thought he’d do the same on the second day but he galloped. We’ve got an overcheck on and hopple shorteners on Tuesday so he should make a good beginning. If he can step and lead, then maybe take a trail, he should be hard to beat. He likes it down there where the track is quite soft.”

Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 3: Onyx Shard
6.04pm
“I thought I had Kevin Kline covered on Tuesday when we got to the straight because she was really travelling but he kicked away on us. It would be nice if she can get out of the gate as well again - she has good gate speed - and, if she does, she can get some of it again.”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
6.04pm
“He was too good for them on Tuesday, thanks to a great Fergy drive, and he’s in the same field again this time. The extra distance and wide draw shouldn’t make much of a difference and he’s our best of the night.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.02pm
“He’ll be hard to beat again if he steps like he did on Tuesday. The 10 metre handicap shouldn’t stop him. I think he’s even better if he follows something and the extra 500 metres isn’t a worry.”