Michael the Master and, yes, he’s had a go at training the puppies too

The question was completely tongue-in-cheek but, not surprisingly, Michael House had a ready answer.

You’re winning all these races with pacers, trotters and now gallopers, so how long before we see you line up a greyhound?

“Been there, done that, back in the day,” House shoots back victoriously.

House trained the second thoroughbred winner of his career, both for Lincoln Farms, when Master Lincoln trounced his rivals in a $22,500 race at Wingatui today. And it came just 15 hours after he lined up four winners over the hill at the Forbury Park trots in Dunedin, and six days after scoring a treble with his harness team at Invercargill.

But House has no intention of picking up the head collars and leads again - there just aren’t enough hours in the day, even after cutting his pre-Covid team of 90 in half.

Misty Anna was the first greyhound to win $100,000 in New Zealand.House actually trained and raced a pup out of one of New Zealand’s greatest ever greyhounds, Misty Anna, whose feat to win 24 feature races and be the first to earn $100,000 saw her an inaugural inductee into the Hall Of Fame.

“When Misty Anna retired (in 1993) I pestered her Mosgiel owner (John Wilson) for one of her bitches. I got one of the only litter she had.

“We called her Minnie Anna and she won half a dozen races. I bred four litters out of her too but they weren’t much good.”

House says with plenty of superstar greyhound trainers in Canterbury it wouldn’t be an easy scene to break into and would require understanding the animals and learning about their structure.

With horses he’s already there. “It doesn’t matter what the horse is, standardbred or thoroughbred, they all have the same ailments.

“I haven’t done anything of any importance with Master Lincoln, except maybe treating him for ulcers.
“So how’s he gone from being an average maiden in the CD to winning a $22,000 race at Wingatui? Timing probably. Most horses get better with time.

Changing zip codes

“I don’t know what I’m doing really. He’s just a ready-made horse in a different jurisdiction. Downgrading and changing zip codes has an amazing effect.”

House says he’s incredibly thankful for the support of Lincoln Farms’ John and Lynne Street for letting him learn on their horses - his first winner for them, Benny Lincoln, was less than two months ago.

Having just retired Ajay Lincoln, who had a myriad of feet issues, and Hurricane Lincoln, who was just no good, House is delighted that two more reinforcements are on the ferry south - Lincoln Dreamer and Louie Lincoln.

House, who sits second on the harness premiership with 68 winners, says training horses isn’t rocket science - he’s just the organiser and he has surrounded himself with great helpers.

Nicci Brown … doing a great job for Michael House in Southland. PHOTO: Jamie Searle.“I have a great team of people helping me. Nicci Brown and Tyler Dewe, who works in the barn down south, do an amazing job. We’ve won about 30 races with the pacers and gallopers now.”

But, undoubtedly, House says, his success is also down to using the best pilots - leading reinsman Blair Orange and top rider Chris Johnson.

“It was a great ride by CJ today. The horse jumped from the gates for the first time ever and he made the decision to push forward, cross and lead.

“He got away with a couple of easy sectionals then timed his run beautifully coming off the turn.”

Six-year-old Master Lincoln ($17) forged clear in the straight and went to the line two and three-quarter lengths clear of the favourites Dunhill and Larippa.

“A lot of things lined up for Master today. It was his first time down in the weights - he came in off the ballot - and the ground was just right for him.”

It was only the second win by Master Lincoln in 33 starts, 16 for House, and boosted his bankroll by $12,156 to $35,455.