Lincoln’s Kruz star trackworker but he runs into smart triallist Dawn Parade at Hastings

Lincoln’s Kruz earned a following for Hastings on Saturday when he took time honours in his final fast work at Awapuni this morning.

Working solo on a good plough, Lincoln’s Kruz galloped boldly over 1000 metres in 62.1, sprinting home his final 800 in 49.1 and 600 in 35.8, clearly the fastest of the morning.

Trainer Lisa Latta, who will line up Lincoln Farms’ improver in the fourth race on Saturday, said Lincoln’s Kruz was going better than ever.

“He’s working like a horse who will go through the grades. He looks like a different horse this time in, he’s so much stronger and happier.

“He did have a lot of feet trouble last time in but has had no problems this time.”

Latta says you can put the line through the four-year-old’s last run when he could finish only eighth at Awapuni.

But it wasn’t the fact that Lincoln’s Kruz tackled a higher rating 74 race that undid him.

“The track was much too wet for him (slow 9) and really wet across the top. I’ve watched the replay a few times and the run was better than it looked - he was making up ground.

“He wasn’t going that well early in the straight and, when Lisa finally did get him going, she said she couldn’t work clear. There were a few stopping in front of her.”

Lincoln’s Kruz, who was last on the home turn, ended up only 5.8 lengths from winner Packing Noblesse.

In his previous start he looked a real improver when trailing the speed on a dead 4 track at Trentham and running away to beat Tony Pike’s Sacred Option by two lengths.

Dawn Parade shows his style, beating Moana in his second start at Te Rapa. PHOTO: Race Images.But Pike has a much more formidable rival for Latta and Lincoln’s Kruz on Saturday in the form of Dawn Parade.

The talented three-year-old is resuming from a three month spell but showed he was in great heart with a quiet trial at Ellerslie on April 6.

Under a good hold by race rider Michael McNab he worked his way into second in the fastest of 18 heats over 900 metres, running past the good mare Bavella late.

Dawn Parade showed his ability on debut when beaten only by star filly Amarelinha then in his second start he downed the Hawkes Bay Guineas and Gold Trail placed Moana at Te Rapa. He was spelled after failing at Tauranga a month later, giving ground 200 metres out and not persevered with over the final 100 metres by rider Leith Innes.

Lincoln’s Kruz will also face another good Ellerslie triallist, the Jamie Richards-trained Pazienza, back from an Australian campaign, who was motoring home for third in her heat behind subsequent Ruakaka winner Eva James.

Latta is still undecided about whether to start Lincoln Hills in the last race on Saturday.

“There are a few showers forecast for Saturday morning and if it stays in the dead range and we get a few scratchings I may start him. The track was too wet for him last time and he peaked on his run fresh-up.

“Thirteen is a terrible draw for him as he needs to be cuddled up.”