Some sparkling Saturday trackwork convinced Auckland trainer Ray Green the Kiwi harness assault on the Queensland winter can kick off with a win tomorrow.
Superstars such as Krug, Copy That and Auckland Cup winner Amazing Dream headline the New Zealand team for the winter carnival which starts to get serious this week, but the first Kiwi reps will roll on to a slightly more sedate Albion Park in Brisbane tomorrow and both look well graded.
Tommy Lincoln drops out of open class racing and a sixth in the Jewels behind South Coast Arden in race six at 6.03pm, while American Dealer makes his Australian debut in race nine at 7.52pm. Both will be driven by local reinsman Mark Dux, with whom Green has his team of four, including Copy That, stabled.
"The two kicking off seem really well," Green told the Herald. "Mark worked Tommy Lincoln on Saturday and he worked really well. Being a local, Mark knows the form, and he said he has to be hard to beat on that."
At his best, Tommy Lincoln has been competitive in open class races in New Zealand, even beating Copy That at Alexandra Park this season, and he is perfectly drawn at barrier two over 1660m.