Lisa’s top three for Sunday has unheralded but speedy Platinum Appeal on top

She hasn’t raced for 11 months, and will strike a very puggy Trentham track, but Platinum Appeal just gets the nod over Lincoln Fury as the best of the day for Lincoln Farms on Sunday.

On a day which is sure to be testing, with the track rated a heavy 11 today and no rain forecast, trainer Lisa Latta will likely take eight Lincoln Farms’ runners to Wellington.

And while several will need the runs, Latta believes the little known Platinum Appeal is primed to upset at what could be good odds in the fourth race.

There’s little on the Per Incanto filly’s record sheet to suggest she could beat older horses, in only her second race and first for 11 months.

In her debut in a stakes race at Riccarton last June she could manage only sixth but Platinum Appeal has been humming at recent jumpouts, showing a brand of early speed which will carry her a long way on Sunday.

Lisa Latta with Lincoln Farms’ boss John Street who has nine horses entered for Trentham on Sunday.* On April 3 at Levin, still carrying a lot of condition, she was beaten little more than half a length after travelling outside the leader.

* And on April 17, also at Levin, she again ran second, this time pipped half a head, after flying the gates and leading.

Latta reports the filly has shown a liking for wet tracks in her work so Trentham’s bog could be right up her alley.

“She’s a three-year-old taking on older horses but it’s only a moderate field.

“Her work has been good - she only does what you ask of her. I think in the future she will need blinkers but we’ll leave them off for her first run.’’

Lincoln Fury runs a close second in Latta’s ranking for Sunday, having been there and done that.

Three starts back, on a slow 7 track at Trentham, he broke maidens with a decisive two length win at the same trip, 1600 metres.

Three weeks later at Awapuni, despite the good 3 footing, he turned in a barnstorming finish for fourth. Despite his hindquarters being bumped 150 metres out, he motored home for fourth, recording the fastest last 600 in the race of 34.25 to be just a head and a neck from second.

And Latta says you can just put a line through his last start at Hastings where he got too far back on a dead 6 track when they were winning on the speed.

“His work has been good since his last run and the wide draw will be good as they will be scouting wide by the last race.’’

Latta planned to step up the horse to a middle distance this time.

“But I think the 1600 metres on a wet track at Trentham will be more like 2000 metres which is what he is looking for.’’

Check out the opposition in Lincoln Sky’s last race.Third on Latta’s Sunday hit parade is Lincoln Sky who, along with Platinum Rapper, contests the opening race, a 1400 metre event restricted to three-year-olds.

The Savabeel three-year-old won his only start on a slow 8 track last December at Otaki, leading all the way.

Sunday’s run will be his first for nearly three months since he ran a good sixth in the Waikato Guineas but Latta says the horse has been working well.

“This will be the first really wet track he has struck but having first use of it will help.

“The track will be quite testing so I chose to leave Madan Singh on him and claim 2kg.’’

Latta favours Lincoln Sky over Platinum Rapper because she says she’s not convinced the filly is an out-and-out heavy tracker.

“She’ll get back in the running and, while she’ll be finishing strongly, she could find it hard making up ground on a puggy track.

“She had a week in the paddock when she came back from Riccarton, which has freshened her up nicely to bring her back in distance.’’

Platinum Rapper disappointed on the first day at Riccarton but, ridden more quietly on the second day, in the Warstep Stakes (2000m) did better for fifth.

Kamanda Lincoln … working very well.Kamanda best roughie

Latta labels Kamada Lincoln (race 2) as her roughie of the day.

Kamanda Lincoln had to be withdrawn from the Hawkes Bay Cup on April 13 when he was sore on race morning.

“But he is over his foot issues and has been working very well.

“He has won on a slow track and has placed on a heavy track but his best performances have been on loose, wet tracks.

“In a small field, however, early in the day, he gets his chance to be right in the finish.’’

Of the rest, Latta says Lincoln Star (race 6) will improve with the run and Father Lenihan (race 5), while very capable, will definitely need the race and is not a 1200 metre horse.

Master Lincoln (race 8) is running out of chances and Lincoln’s Gal (race 3) is a doubtful starter.