Check out Saturday’s big shortener Lincoln King who is ‘absolutely full of life’
By Barry Lichter • 5 November 2021
Lincoln King has been the big shortener for Saturday’s $75,000 Metropolitan Trophy at Riccarton.
Lincoln Farms’ stayer will be having his final lead-up to Saturday week’s $250,000 New Zealand Cup and is favoured by the step-up to 2500 metres this weekend.
Plenty of punters have followed the bullish advice of trainer Stephen Marsh since his opening quote of $6 was posted earlier in the week.
He now claims equal favouritism at $4.50 with Spring Classic winner Southern Ocean.
Of his other main rivals, Swords Drawn has eased from $4.80 to $6 and Beaudz Well is in slightly from $5.50 to $5.
Stable foreman Rhys Mildon reported today that Lincoln King had put on good condition in his time in the south.
“And he’s been full of life at the end of his gallops this week, bouncing off the track, which he doesn’t normally do.”
Lincoln King has been crunched in the cup market, in from $9 to $7 in the last two days, claiming equal second favouritism with Swords Drawn. Beaudz Well and Southern Ocean are equal $6 favourites.
Lincoln King, who cannot be rehandicapped if he wins on Saturday, was beaten a whisker in the cup last year by Dragon Storm.
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Lisa’s comments
Friday at Awapuni
Race 8: Lincoln Towers
4.53pm
“He needs two more scratchings to make the field and, because it’s the first day back racing at Awapuni and they’re running only 12 horses, that looks doubtful. I decided to run him over 1400 metres as I think leaving him at 1200 wouldn’t be the right thing to do. He has continued to work well and had a really nice gallop on the course proper this week.”
Stephen’s comments
Saturday at Te Rapa
Race 7: Billy Lincoln
3.37pm
“He’s bounced out of his trial (third on the Cambridge synthetic) very well and it’s time to kick him off. I wouldn’t expect him to win at 1200 metres but it will bring him on nicely. Then we’ll step him up to a more suitable 1400 and second-up he can be very competitive. Rihaan Goyaram rides and claims 3kg down to 53.5kg.”