Watching brief for baffled Ray who puts Tyson squarely in the green corner for Cambridge
By Barry Lichter • 17 July 2024
He might be dropping in company but trainer Ray Green says he wouldn’t be rushing in to back Tyson at Cambridge on Friday night.
“He’s got me baffled at he moment so I want to see him go round again first,” says Green.
“He didn’t even go up to the gate last time at Auckland, which he did one day at the trials here.”
The Art Major colt, who struck trouble when the subject of a plunge on debut at Cambridge on July 5, was once again heavily backed in the two-year-old event at Alexandra Park on July 12 but never raised hopes.
Reluctant to score up, he was three lengths off the arm on dispatch, tailed the field throughout, paced roughly round the home turn and only battled up the straight to run last behind Always Be Misty and Turn O The Tide.
A shadow of the horse who beat that pair at the Pukekohe workouts in June, Tyson did little to impress driver Tony Herlihy.
“Tony said he’s got a lot to learn, so I’m putting it down to inexperience, but I know he’s a lot better than that.
“I’ve made a few minor gear changes including a different bit and, while it’s obviously a lot weaker bunch, he’s drawn out a bit and will need luck.”
Green says Lincoln La Moose is also a watch only in the sixth race from wide on the front line.
“We knew he was short of race fitness when he resumed and I think he’ll need another one.
“Seven is a tough draw even when you’re on your game.”
Lincoln La Moose, an impressive debut winner at Cambridge in March, was fresh off a two and a half month spell when he ran at Auckland on July 12, and after going back from his wide draw, was buried back on the fence and never in the hunt.
Commander Lincoln also returns to the scene of his sole win but Green isn’t too keen on his chances.
A battling fourth last time in an amateur event at Auckland, he switches to a junior drivers’ race but Green says Fergus Schumacher will have his work cut out.
“He’s an honest trooper - there are worse horses than him - but he needs a good trip and a lot of luck as he lacks a yard of speed.”
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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.”
