Nearer The Dragon is a neat looking colt but he never grew. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.
What to expect from the little Dragon who never grew at Cambridge on Tuesday night
By Barry Lichter • 23 September 2024
Don’t expect to see any any fire-breathing monster when Nearer The Dragon ($26, $3.50) debuts for Lincoln Farms at Cambridge on Tuesday night.
The three-year-old will be the smallest horses on the track when they parade for the third race.
“He’s a tiny fella,” said trainer Ray Green. “He’s still no bigger than when we bought him as a yearling.”
Green, who picked up the Fear The Dragon colt for just $14,000 at the sales in Christchurch in 2022, said being small and weak, he’s just needed time.
“He’s actually surprised me by getting this far but he won’t be the worst out there.
“He’s a good pacer, he has good manners and he tries hard. And he’s improving all the time.”
Green said it was hard to know what to expect from the colt but “he won’t be jumping out of the ground and blowing their socks off.”
Green said lack of size didn’t stop a champion like Chicago Bull and Nearer The Dragon has enough good performers in his pedigree to think he won’t be useless. His dam Getting Closer, who was by diminutive champion Courage Under Fire, was unraced but is a full sister to the good winner Holy Grail, who won 27 races, 10 in Western Australia and 16 in North America.
Getting Closer’s half sister Change Is Good also won eight races.
The biggest winner from the family, however, was the top class filly Lancome who numbered a Group I win among her 13 successes.
Nearer The Dragon’s progression this preparation is evident from his three workout runs, for fourth, second and third, and he led his sole rival home when winning a qualifying trial at Pukekohe last Thursday, clocking a 2:05.4 mile rate, home in 60.2 and 30.4.
“I think he’ll get round OK and if he can get a cheque that would be good.”
Regular Tuesday runners Im Not The Maid and Commander Lincoln are both place chances, according to Green.
Im Not The Maid ($14, $3) who draws four in the sixth race, will have tighter hopples on this time after galloping out of the gate two weeks ago.
“She’s perfect at home but she may have been a bit nervous with all the horses around her.
“She’s done pretty well to win a race already and, if she does things correctly, she’s a chance to get some of the money.”
Green said Commander Lincoln’s ($13, $3.10) six alley in the second race for amateurs is no real handicap for driver Andrew Sharpe.
“He gets back no matter what he draws as he doesn’t have a lot of gate speed. He’ll go another honest race and is always a place chance.”
More news in Harness
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
