Sweet Lou colt Lincoln Lou has earned a break.
Lincoln Lou coming home for a break but remaining trio headed to Ashburton features
By Barry Lichter • 16 October 2024
Lincoln Lou is coming home to rest up after bashing his knee in the Two-Year-Old Harness Million.
Lincoln Farms’ speedy colt disputed the early lead in the $200,000 feature at Addington last Friday night and was handy in the running when he broke entering the home straight on the first lap and galloped his way back to the rear.
Lincoln Lou had to be steadied when he paced roughly again 850 metres out and he finished last, 25 lengths from the winner Marketplace.
The uncharacteristic performance was explained immediately afterwards when driver Sam Thornley told Green the colt had hit his knee.
“I’ve no idea why it’s suddenly become a problem,” Green said. “But something strange has happened to make him hammer his knee.
“He has a bit of fill in the knee, it’s not too bad, but I’d hate him to do it again while it’s like this so he can go home and have a month off.
“He hasn’t had a decent break and he’s a great little horse so I want to do the right thing by him.”
Green said Lincoln Lou’s action would be monitored when he resumed work and, if necessary, he would be fitted with spreaders.
The remaining three of Lincoln Farms’ southern team have pleased since their campaign openers at Addington and will progress to Ashburton on Monday week.
The Big Lebowski advanced his cup ranking from 35 to 32 with his all-the-way domination but will need to win or place in the $60,000 Flying Stakes to have any chance of making the 15-horse cut.
“He’s a beautiful big horse who glides along and covers the ground, loping along as if it’s nothing. John Morrison said he could have gone another lap the other night.”
Sugar Ray Lincoln, who made good ground in the Two-Year-Old Harness Million for sixth, will contest the final Sires’ Stakes heat at Ashburton while Green will make a late payment to get Frisco Bay into the $50,000 Sires’ Stakes Sophomore Classic (mobile 1700m) for three-year-olds.
Frisco Bay caught the eye last Friday with his late run for a close third behind the highly regarded Renegade, recording the fastest closing sectionals of 56.05 and 26.84.
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Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
