Unlucky Tyson is under a tight hold on the back of the winner, Confederate, in a packed finish to the Metro Final.
Worse draw puts unlucky Tyson in better spot to win at Auckland on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 1 October 2025
It might sound strange, but a wider draw than last week has boosted Tyson’s winning chance at Auckland on Friday night.
Lincoln Farms’ street-fighter will line up from five on the gate in the third race, and is the early second favourite at $3.90, few having missed his unlucky sixth in last week’s strong Metro Final.
After starting from one on the second row, and not being able to muster early, driver Maurice McKendry was trapped on the markers throughout and unable to find gaps for the horse in the run home. He finished under a tight hold, on the back of the winner Confederate.
“He was definitely beaten by the draw last week,” said co-trainer Ray Green. “He never got the chance to get out.
“From five this time he won’t get jammed up and can go forward and put himself in the race.”
Tyson, who has been racing consistently well throughout the last three months, regardless of having to do it hard, would then be in a position to test the courage of the favourite Princess Gracy ($2.05).
Green is also hoping Debbie Lincoln ($6.50, $1.50) gets a little more luck than last week when she went back from a wide draw and ran only eighth in the Nevele R fillies’ heat.
Debbie home in 55.1
But her run was much better than it looks on paper as she was held up in the home stretch and still reeled off easily the fastest last 800 metres of 55.1, four tenths of a second quicker than Im Sandra Dee (sixth), who shared the fastest 400 with her of 26.9.
“She went to the line under a hold. She’s right up there with the best of them but you’re no chance when you get back like that.”
Green said the Lather Up filly’s form would have read much better had she not been troubled by tying-up and a succession of bad draws.
“She hasn’t got a good draw again but it’s a small field and hopefully they won’t walk and only sprint home.”
Green is hoping Zachary Butcher lets the southern filly Joyride ($1.60) run along.
“She looks the one to beat - she’s been racing in better company.”
Sugar Ray Lincoln ($3.10) and Kevin Kline ($3.80) again look hard to beat in the sixth race after their solid placings last week.
“Sugar Ray has a tad more speed than Kevin, but he had to sit parked for the last 1200 metres last week. “You’d think he’ll get a good trip this time from the inside draw.
“And Kevin is as honest as they come. He’s a bit more genuine than Sugar Ray.”
Kevin Kline rocketed home from the rear on the home turn last Friday to pip Sugar Ray for second, clocking the second fastest closing sectionals of 56 and 28.1, and will be suited by another 500 metres this week.
More news in Harness
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Two (not so) secret weapons help Lincoln Farms to $29,287 payday at Cambridge
Deb dresses her latest ‘Copy’ weanling in white and he delivers a Major coup
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
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.”
