Tommy Lincoln battles bravely for fourth last week behind Governor Jujon, Northview Hustler, markers, and Mach Da Vinci.
Tommy’s treacherous draw - he’s at the mercy of how hard two hot former Kiwis run the gate
By Barry Lichter • 13 April 2023
The driving tactics on two former Kiwis will decide whether Tommy Lincoln has any chance at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Lincoln Farms’ six-year-old toiler has again drawn badly in the 1660 metre feature, at the mercy of what goes on ahead of him from the inside of the second row.
And trainer Mark Dux says the decisions Nathan Dawson makes on new Kiwi import Hot And Treacherous and, more critically, Shane Graham behind gate flyer Turn It Up, will decide Tommy’s fate.
“The one horse (American Outlaw) isn’t the best one to draw behind because it doesn’t burn off the gate, so we have to hope only one horse gets across him and holds.
“Three back gives us a chance of earning a cheque, we can finish in the top three. But if we end up four back we’re in a spot of bother. Then a lot of things have to go your way.”
Dux can see Hot And Treacherous first on the scene given how well the former Bunty and Gareth Hughes-trained pacer has been trialling. He has won both his 1660 metre preps, the latest in a 1:52.7 mile rate.
Hot And Treacherous, obscured, only just goes down to Copy That in a New Zealand record 3:16 for 2700 metres at Cambridge last October. PHOTO: Chanelle Lawson.“Hot And Treacherous looks tough to beat but if he crosses the one, then Turn It Up crosses him, we’ll be four back.
“It all comes down to what Shane does. If he thinks he can’t cross, he might drive Turn It Up quietly, then we’re only three back and I’d be rapt.”
Dux says he’s “over the moon” with how Tommy is racing.
“He went terrific again last week. They were going that slow he had to roll up alongside them. And he got tired only in the last 50 metres.”
Dux says it’s very frustrating taking the horse to the races knowing how well he’s going but continually being taken out by impossible draws.
“He’s actually done a good job. He’s won something like A$48,000 since we could have sold him so it was probably the right decision to keep him.”
Tommy’s earnings are now well over A$200,000, with NZ$97,515 from eight wins in New Zealand and A$112,119 from a further eight wins in Queensland.
“And he’s got more to come.”
Hot And Treacherous, the winner of 11 races and NZ$249,150, will be having his first start for trainer Jack Butler and owner Clinton Livingstone, and first since New Year’s Eve when 12 lengths fourth behind Alta Wiseguy, Copy That and Kango in the Franklin Cup at Alexandra Park.
His last win was over a mile at Auckland last November in 1:55.4.
Tommy Lincoln races at 9.49pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
Prince Lincoln spearheads record-sized team for Lincoln Farms at Cambridge on Friday
Ray cautions punters with no lead this time for Jekyll and Hyde colt Prince Lincoln
Two (not so) secret weapons help Lincoln Farms to $29,287 payday at Cambridge
Deb dresses her latest ‘Copy’ weanling in white and he delivers a Major coup
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
