‘Dino’ rewards Street’s perseverance and Burden’s rehab with New Year’s Day present

Punters might have cursed when Michael House produced a relative unknown galloper named Lincoln County to upset at long odds at Riverton on Monday.

But if they’d known the long history behind Dino’s path to the winner’s circle they’d have welcomed the New Year’s Day present for owners John and Lynne Street.

If Lincoln Farms’ business manager Ian Middleton had had his way the now six-year-old would have been retired long ago - with vet bills that would have crippled most owners.

When Lincoln County flipped over backwards in his paddock and was diagnosed with a broken pelvis, John Street’s hopes for the $100,000 Dundeel yearling were seemingly crushed.

When the horse had recovered, and went back into work, trainer Lisa Latta still wasn’t happy with him.

Christine Burden nursed Lincoln County back to fitness at her Bydawhile operation at Waiuku.“We X-rayed him again to see if he was worth persevering with and found a hairline fracture on the other side of the pelvis,” Middleton said.

“We don’t know if it happened at the same time as the original injury or later.

“It was a toss of the coin whether we kept going but John wanted to give it time.”

Though Lincoln County’s dam Belle Fleur never raced, he is a member of Marie Leicester’s famous Belle family, his great grand dam the talented Tri Belle, winner of 11 races and $419,000 in the 1980s.

So when Lincoln County was well enough to travel he came north to Lincoln Farms’ Pukekohe harness base where he was looked after in a small paddock at Golding Road for many months.

And last April, he went to Catherine Burden at her Bydawhile operation at Waiuku, where for three months she undertook his rehab and he was monitored by Franklin Vets’ Kara Watson.

And when ‘Dino’ was ready, he stepped up to pre-training on the beach.

Graduating from Bydawhile in July, Dino was then sent south to Christchurch where House was building an impressive record with Lincoln Farms’ C team.

Lincoln County strides out on the beach at Waiuku.“Christine did a good job on the rehab,” House said today. “He’s never been sore and seems fine.

“I liked the look of him when he arrived. He’s a lovely big, bright bay who reminded me of Dundeel’s sire Hi Chaparral, who I was a great fan of.”

Between House’s Christchurch operation and that of his Invercargill arm, run by Nicci Brown, Lincoln County got through plenty of work in the last few months.

“Pretty early on Nicci said he could gallop. She rode him one day when he worked with Benny Lincoln and gave him a hiding - though I don’t think Benny was going any good at the time.”

House was also buoyed by reports from Brown’s partner, top rider Chris Johnson, that Dino was “very bouncy and had a good gait”.

Lincoln County surges clear of Par Tee, outer, and Reddington to win at Riverton. PHOTO: Monica Toretto.“They’ve never been negative about him and a couple of times he’s trained well against horses with ability.”

House says it’s too soon to know how good Lincoln County is.

“I’ve got no idea. He could be something or might be nothing. Winning in the dunce grade is one thing but he has to step up now.

“But we’ll dream big and see if he can compete in a heat of the ODT Southern Mile.”

The 10-race series, run by the Otago Racing Club at four venues, offers rating 65 and 75 horses the chance to compete for better stakes, with a $100,000 final at Wingatui on March 4.

House isn’t fazed by the fact Lincoln County is already six but just stating his career with plenty to learn.

Jason Laking unsaddles Lincoln County after an eventful ride. PHOTO: Monica Toretto.Dino showed his newness in just his third race on Monday, spinning round before his prelim and nearly losing rider Jason Laking.

“He’s a beautiful type of a horse and just the right age now.”

House hopes he can one day get an updated opinion on Lincoln County from Johnson, presently sidelined with a damaged vertebra and fractured heel after being thrown from his mount at Gore on December 18.

“Nicci says they’re hoping to operate on Chris’ heel later today. He’ll be back. He wants to finish on his own terms and I think he’s quite enjoying being a gentleman rider with only a few rides each raceday.”