Kevin Kline scores his sixth and final win at Auckland in November. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.
Ultra-consistent Kevin Kline sold to the United States: Why Ray’s sorry to lose him
By Barry Lichter • 3 December 2025
Kevin Kline’s fleeting but rewarding New Zealand career is over.
Trainer Ray Green revealed today that the three-year-old has been bought by local agent Peter Blanchard and is destined for the United States.
“I’ll be sorry to lose him,” says Green of the EFTPOS machine on four legs.
“He was good week in and week out and could perhaps have developed into a serious horse over time.
“But you can’t have your cake and eat it too. It will get tougher for him now, he’ll be four in a month and (as an R65) he will have to front up to the very good ones now. It will be difficult for him to earn the sort of money we got.”
Green described Kevin Kline as “a beautiful horse” who always tried his best and, remarkably, rose to his level on virtually one preparation, having debuted only 16 months ago.
The Always B Miki - Matai Mies three-year-old raced 39 times for six wins, 15 placings and $93,802 for a Lincoln Farms’ partnership put together after he was originally leased from former Waikato breeder Pat Laboyrie.
Enjoying the ride with Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street were a host of long-time supporters in Jason Deane, Brent Mulholland, Priscilla Edmunds, Lance Myocevich, Trevor Casey, the Red and Blue Syndicate, Ray Menzies, Dave and Daphne Jones and Margaret Rabbitt.
Tyson needs luck
Another horse Green sourced from Laboyrie, Tyson, will fly the flag solo at Auckland on Friday night in the $35,000 Northern Metro Pacers’ Final.
But Green says from two on the second row, Tyson will need his share of luck.
“He’s at the mercy of others from his draw - you don’t know how the race will pan out - but maybe a bit of desperation might set in with the bigger stake and he can get out.”
Driver Maurice McKendry proved just how potent the horse can be last week when he abandoned the one-out-one-back trail to sit parked a lap from home, proving too tough for Words, a rival again, drawn immediately inside him on Friday.
The early betting favours the Mark and Nathan Purdon runner Arden’s Memory, in four, and the pole runner Princess Of Savoy.
“But he’s beaten most of these before, they’re all on a par.”
Green says Tyson will “keep poking around” the Park, with the $50,000 Golden Gait on December 19 also on the agenda.
“They’re two nice purses so even if he finishes only second or third, he won’t be doing too badly.”
More news in Harness
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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.”
