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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 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.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.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.American Dealer races at 7.52pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.

Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Friday night at Auckland

Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm

“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”

Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm

“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”

Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm

“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”

Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm

“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”

Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm

“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”

Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm

“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”

Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm

“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”

Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm

“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”

Race Images - Harness