What you need to know about plunge horse Lincoln Cove: Do you follow your money?
By Barry Lichter • 19 March 2024
A trial at Pukekohe last Saturday explains why trainer Ray Green says his opinion is still “guarded” over plunge horse Lincoln Cove.
The Downbytheseaside debutant was surprisingly backed off the map on debut at Cambridge 12 days ago, his $21 opening price cut to $13 by scratchings, then hammered in to see him start a $2.20 favourite.
Things didn’t look good in the first lap when Lincoln Cove was forced to work three wide to the death, before landing a one-one sit.
But just when it seemed the horse would still deliver, driver Zachary Butcher easing out on the home turn, Lincoln Cove took fright when his deafeners were pulled, stumbled and galloped briefly.
And, worse, 50 metres later, just when he was again looking the likely winner, he copped a violent shunt, Butcher thrown forward in the cart, when a rival veered out sharply looking for a run, his driver later supended for three days.
Incredibly, Lincoln Cove still kept coming, attacking the line hard for second, beaten one and three-quarter lengths by Shez The One.
Bookies, who dodged a bullet, will be wary about letting anyone on at long odds this week but Green isn’t convinced the horse warrants such respect.
His caution was proven correct at the weekend trials when Lincoln Cove improved from the back to challenge leader Lincoln La Moose only to go into a wild gallop, taking so long to settle he was 14 lengths astern of his stablemate at the finish, albeit making up plenty of lost ground.
“He ranged up looking dangerous in the trial and for some inexplicable reason had a gallop,” Green said.
“I’d like to see him get round safely before I form an opinion of him as he certainly has a few tricks.
“Zac reckoned he would have gone straight on by at Cambridge had he not galloped but he didn’t look to lose much ground to me. And even though he got shunted a bit after that, again he didn’t lose too much momentum.
Lincoln La Moose … has taken time to strengthen. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.“While he would have the wood on Moose on ability, he could take a few runs to come right.”
Lincoln La Moose, who debuts after six workouts and five trials, three of them this prep, has taken time to strengthen, Green said.
“He’s a delicately built guy who took a little time to cope with the work.
“I think the ability is there and he looks to have strengthened a bit so he should go reasonably well from four on the gate.”
An Art Major colt out of Cullens Princess, Lincoln La Moose is a half-brother to six-race winner Miki Montana.
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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.”
