Green's team just a head away from four from four

By Brigette Solomon

Ray Green has shown again why it pays to take notice when he heads to Cambridge Raceway, last night scoring a winning treble and very nearly making it four from four.

"It was a very good night,” said Green, “getting a treble doesn’t happen too often and it was very nearly four wins with Commander Lincoln going so close.”

Commander Lincoln was Green’s first starter for the night in Race one, the amateur drivers event. Driven by stable employee Andrew Sharpe, he was second, by a head, behind Peter Forsberg.

Green’s first win of the night was with Lenny Lincoln, taking out Race 4, the Betavet Herbazole Mobile Pace. Zachary Butcher capitalized on his ace draw, sending the gelding forward to lead and dictating terms throughout. Lenny Lincoln was travelling comfortably when the second placed Sheza Mermaid applied pressure with 800 metres to travel, so it was no surprise when the gelding let down to score his maiden win by three quarters of a length.

“He had the one draw, got the lead and did what he liked,” said Green, “nobody challenged him and it was a good drive.”

The next victory came in Race seven, the Phil Nilsen Memorial Mobile Pace, with Leo Lincoln and Andre Poutama combining to bring up the gelding’s third lifetime win.

“It was a good run as he didn’t get the trip too easily,” said Green, “I was very happy with him and they went a good time too.”

The three-year-old gelding by Art Major drew six and was positioned one out and three back early. With one lap to run Poutama took off three wide, getting around runners to take up the parked position and pressure the leader down the back straight. At the 400 metre marker, Leo Lincoln got running, hitting the front at the top of the straight and letting down to win by just over a length in a time of 2.40 flat.

The surprising but impressive winner of the night for Green was his first starter, Lincoln La Moose, who took out Race 8, the Off The Track Food & Bev Mobile Pace.

“He’s very green yet and although he trialed up ok, we didn’t expect him to win like that” says Green “It was his first time off the property and under lights and it’s certainly woken him up and shown us something we didn’t know he had.”

Driven by Poutama, the three year old colt briefly galloped out of the first bend losing several lengths. Once down and pacing, the gelding was sent three wide to find the parked position, although regained cover from the 900 metre mark when Under The Boardwalk came round. With 400 metres to travel Poutama made his run three wide, and while taking some time to wind up, the colt let down to score his win on debut by 3.75 lengths despite his obvious greenness.

“He’s from a good family and it looks like he may have inherited some ability but it’s taken him some time to toughen up a bit as he’s quite a fine boned, delicate horse,” said Green “based on last night’s win he looks like he could have a good future.”

The Art Major colt is out of Cullens Princess, a daughter of the Great Northern Oaks winner Tosti Girl, and was a $95,000 purchase from the 2022 NZB Yearling Sale.