With a little more room, look for Tyson to land another knockout blow at Auckland on Friday

Co-trainer Ray Green believes Tyson deserves to be the favourite at Auckland on Friday night after his excellent fifth in last week’s strong Metro Final.

The battle axe never got the chance to put it to his rivals after drawing the inside of the second row, snowed away three deep yet still rallying late to finish only 1.9 lengths from winner Confederate.

“He was squeezed up late but, with a run through earlier, I reckon he could just about have rounded them up,” Green said.

Tyson started the second rank outsider in that race but, from gate two on Friday night, opened a strong second fancy today at $3, just behind Words ($3.80).

“He never goes a bad race and he’s got to be the one to beat this time from the good draw in an easier field.”

Green says he can’t separate Sugar Ray Lincoln and Kevin Kline in the sixth race, a view also adopted by the bookies who rate them both at $6.50 and $1.85.

“It will come down to whichever one gets the better trip,” said Green of Sugar Ray who starts from two and Kevin Kline who is in three.

Flat tyre

Sugar Ray Lincoln hasn’t started for three weeks when third to the impressive Captain Sampson and Debbie Lincoln, a performance dulled by a tyre deflating during the running.

“But I think he’ll go really well again. He was very good in a workout last week.”

Sugar Ray Lincoln led that 2050 metre heat and fought on strongly when Debbie Lincoln pounced from the trail to finish only a length away, the trip run in a slick 2:34.5, the closing 800 in 56.7 and 400 in 27.5.

Kevin Kline, who was another half length back in third, also pleased and showed he had trained on well since his all-the-way win at Auckland on October 24 when he sizzled home in 56.2 and 27.9.

Kevin Kline faces a very similar field on Friday, with the addition of Confederate, prompting Green to be confident he can go close again.

Meanwhile, Green reports Debbie Lincoln arrived safely in Christchurch this morning and is settling in well at Ken Barron’s West Melton property.

Debbie Lincoln, who tilts at the $200,000 Nevele R Fillies’ Final at Addington on Tuesday, is “right in the zone”, according to Green.

“I don’t need to do much more with her but she’ll have a little bowl around on Saturday.”