Lincoln Road has Novena Rose well covered at Albion Park yesterday.
And that’s five on end for Lincoln Road!
By Barry Lichter • 16 January 2019
Lincoln Road is the latest flag bearer for the up-and-coming stallion Sir Lincoln, now unbeaten in five starts in Queensland since he was sold by Lincoln Farms late last year.
The four-year-old, who notched his fourth Albion Park win in 18 days yesterday, was sent out a red hot $1.20 favourite and was untested to lead all the way over 2138 metres in a swift mile rate of 1:55.6.
The win came just four days after another of Sir Lincoln’s Australian exports, Rupert Of Lincoln, kept intact his record of running in the money at each of his 11 starts, beaten just 1.3 metres at Melton in a 1:52.6 mile rate for 1720 metres.
The pair’s former trainer Ray Green says he’s particularly delighted at Lincoln Road’s run of success.
Lincoln Farms sold the horse last September after he was pipped a head by No Doctor Needed in the Te Awamutu Cup at Cambridge.
That race spelled the future for the talented gelding who, despite having raced only 13 times, winning four of them, was forced to race cup class pacers.
Realising that Lincoln Road was consigned to be picking up only the crumbs here, Lincoln Farms did what many owners are now forced to do and sold him to Queensland trainer Alistair Barnes.
“I’m glad he’s winning like that because they took a punt on him,’’ says Green. “He didn’t vet that well - I think it was a knee - and a lot of buyers would have walked away.
“But Alistair is a pretty good horseman and told me he’s had to work with horses like this for most of his life and Lincoln Road’s problems were minor in comparison.
Trainer Ray Green with Rupert Of Lincoln after he won his last start at Cambridge. PHOTO: FokusPhotography.“He also said he had a new owner who was putting money into the horse and he didn’t want him to have a bad one.’’
Green says Lincoln Road was always going to make his mark instantly, however, as with the Australian handicapping system he arrived there a c0 horse.
“Going into that arena is like the difference between Auckland and Manawatu.’’
Rupert Of Lincoln is also proving a terrific advertisement for Sir Lincoln and has won four of his eight starts for trainer-driver Kerryn Manning since his sale to Merv Butterworth.
And despite running only second at Melton last Friday it was one of his bravest efforts.
Rupert Of Lincoln looped the field to sit parked outside leader Liftntorque for the last lap and, after a stirring duel when they clocked 27.2 for the third quarter, was beaten just 1.3 metres. Liftntorque has won eight of his 17 starts.
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Sir Lincoln Top 10
Did you know…
1. CUP DAY BIRTH: It was preordained Sir Lincoln would be a headliner when he was born just hours before the 2006 New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington. Three years later to the day, and almost the hour, he annihilated his rivals on the same course in the Sires’ Stakes Final.
2. AGE NO BARRIER: In his second last race start, at the age of six, Sir Lincoln paced the fastest 1700 metres in New Zealand history, 2:00.5, beating Gold Ace and clocking a mile rate of 1:54 at Alexandra Park. Champion pacer Elsu held the previous record at 2:01.1.
3. ON THREE LEGS: Sir Lincoln ran his last race virtually on three legs, when second to Terror To Love in an Interdominion heat at Auckland. He had to be pulled out of the Melbourne series, and retired, when found to have a subluxated pastern joint - basically his ankle joint was dislocated.
4. SWIFT GOLDEN MILE: Sir Lincoln’s fastest mile was recorded in the 2012 Group III Golden Mile at Menangle in Sydney when he was nosed out by Captain Joy in 1:51.4. He was known by the name Lincoln Royal in Australia.
5. AT THE REINS: One for the trivia fans - how many drivers did Sir Lincoln have in his 57-start career? Maurice McKendry was Linc’s pilot throughout his career but he was MIA four times when the horse was handled by James Stormont, Ken Barron and Blake Fitzpatrick (twice).
6. WINNERS KEEP COMING: In only his third season with runners on the track, Sir Lincoln has already sired the winners of 30 races despite having limited numbers to represent him. Last season in New Zealand alone he had 16 winners from only 39 starters and this term he already has six winners from just 18 starters.
7. SOMEBEACH SOME RAP: Breeding buffs made a beeline for Sir Lincoln after superstar racehorse and stallion Somebeachsomewhere had to be put down with cancer. Sir Lincoln is 7/8th bred on the same cross as Somebeachsomewhere - by Mach Three out of a Beach Towel mare who is in turn out of a Cam Fella mare.
8. DISCOUNT FOR LOYALTY: Broodmare owners are returning to Sir Lincoln in droves. Taken by the attractive foals he is leaving, many book straight back to the Alabar-based sire and take advantage of Lincoln Farms’ loyalty scheme which cuts his service fee in half to just $1250 plus GST.
9. TIME BEST FRIEND: Sir Lincoln’s progeny are mirroring the sire’s own start on the racetrack, benefitting from a little time to mature. The best the horse himself could manage as a two-year-old was one third from four starts but he was a different animal at three, winning four of his first five starts.
10. MEGASTAR’S FREAK DEATH: A freak accident claimed the life of valuable broodmare Lincoln’s Megastar, a full sister to Sir Lincoln. The mare, who opened her career with a nine and a half length walloping at Auckland, was retired after six wins, but left only one foal. She was killed when crushed by a fallen tree in a violent storm. Woodlands Stud has another full sister in two-year-old Moonlighting who is in training with Ray Green.