Lisa: Stick with Benny Lincoln at Otaki on Monday, he’s a winner-in-waiting

Benny Lincoln won’t be at the same outsized odds as when trainer Lisa Latta tipped him out last start but he looks a great winning chance at Otaki on Monday.

Latta flagged dramatic improvement in the Jimmy Choux three-year-old when he lined up at Otaki on January 6, sporting blinkers for the first time, and for a few seconds in the run home it looked like he would score at $41 and $7 when he burst through the pack.

In the end he had to settle for second as Rukita, wide out, dropped on her rivals, but in going under by only a length Benny Lincoln showed he was a winner-in-waiting.

It was only his second start and Latta says he did plenty wrong but would learn quickly from the experience.

“He was very green, up and pulling, then off the bit, but Jonathan (Riddell) was impressed with what he showed and he should win a race pretty quickly.

“He’s gone forward with the run and will appreciate the step-up to 1600 metres on Monday and being against his own age group.

“The wide draw makes it trickier but we’ll ride him a bit quieter and let him get home. It looks a very winnable race for him.”

None of the remaining three runners for Lincoln Farms look much hope on Monday with two of them, Lincoln Town and Master Lincoln, in need of rain, which is not forecast.

Robbie Hannam takes Lincoln Town out for his morning training. PHOTO: Royden Williams.Lincoln Town (race 3), who hasn’t raced for four and half months, has filled a place in five of his six starts but was woeful at the Levin jumpouts on December 18.

Settled back by rider Robbie Hannam he switched off straight away and ran past only one in the home straight.

Hannam put the run down to his being snagged back at the start, completely opposite to his normal front-running style.

But Latta points out that all the horse’s form has been on slow and heavy tracks.

“He showed nothing on good footing earlier on either. But he’s a year older and stronger now so we’ve got to try him.”

Master Lincoln (race 7) was a good fourth when resuming at Wairarapa on January 2 but he also needs at least a dead track to show his best and has an awkward 11 alley to overcome.

Master Lincoln’s sole win in 15 starts was on dead 6 going and two of his three placings were in heavy footing.

Lincoln Lane (race 6) was put aside after winning a trial in heavy footing in June so has been away from the action for a long time.

The Savabeel four-year-old is a real staying type so should find the 1600 metres much too short.