Wide draws to overcome but Spirit Of God and Jessie Lincoln should both be competitive

Spirit Of God is no Spiritual Bliss but she’ll win a race, says co-trainer Ray Green of Lincoln Farms’ latest recruit.

Owner Dave Phillips, who has just sold Spiritual Bliss to America after she found rejuvenated form at Lincoln Farms, has now entrusted his six-year-old mare to Green and his training partner Nathan Delany.

The mare lines up in the opening event at Cambridge on Thursday night and, even though she is having only her second start after a break of 19 months, Green gives her a chance in a race devoid of form.

“She’s definitely a chance as she has enough speed. The raw ability is there and I’m sure she’s as good as any of them ability wise.”

Spirit Of God attracted a modicum of support when she resumed at Alexandra Park last Friday night but after doing some work and racing handy, she lost all chance when KOed at the 600 metres as a rival lay out and they locked wheels.

“Maurice (McKendry) said she was getting a bit tired at the time but it was her first for a long time.”

Nine days earlier at the Pukekohe workouts the Gold Ace mare showed gate speed to cross from the outside of the gate and lead, beating Rahm and Sriracha, the two placegetters behind Sammy Lincoln last Friday night.

“Race night is a bit different, there’s a little bit more urgency, but she does have gate speed so has to be a chance, even from seven.”

Spirit Of God showed little for her two previous trainers, fourths the best she could do in six starts for Brian Zampese and five with Amanda Kiddie.

Harrison Orange takes the drive on Thursday night with the reins on stablemate Jessie Lincoln again going to Peter Ferguson.

Jessie Lincoln ran fifth behind Sammy Lincoln last week but was never a factor after getting back on the markers then having to take evasive action to avoid the locked-up Spirit Of God and Toffee Potts. She nevertheless ran home in 58.3 and 28.3.

“There’s not a lot between her and Spirit Of God. The other filly is probably a bit fitter than Jessie but she worked well today and I think she’ll be very competitive. It depends on what sort of run she gets (from eight).”

Punters who remember Jessie Lincoln’s huge recovery the last time she raced at Cambridge might be willing to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Pushed too hard out of the gate, the Lather Up filly galloped and lost a huge stretch but sustained a wide run from second last at the 400 to finish fourth, subsequently disqualified for breaking in excess of 150 metres.

Green says he can’t label last week’s Cambridge winner Lincoln Maree as a betting proposition in the fifth race given she rises considerably in class and gets the killer outside draw.

Lincoln Maree did a power of work to lead the amateur field with just under a lap to run last Thursday and, surprisingly, ran away at the finish to score by two and a half lengths.

But that was in a R35 to R40 race and this week she meets better performed horses up to R46.

“But you can never discount her as you know she’ll put herself in the race,” Green said. “You saw what she did last week - it doesn’t matter where she draws, she’ll launch.

“She’s a machine, the toughest thing ever born. If she had a bit more speed she’d be a champion,” said Green, a little tongue-in-cheek.

Renowned front-runner Andre Poutama takes the reins this week and Green reports Lincoln Maree worked well on Tuesday morning.