Nigel likes what he sees with Lincoln Thunder - trial shows he’s close to kicking a goal

Lincoln Thunder is ready to rumble.

Trainer Nigel Tiley will look for a 1200 metre maiden in the next couple of weeks to open his career after he trialled in pleasing style at Avondale yesterday.

The Better Than Ready three-year-old flew the gates to lead early in his 800 metre catchweight heat before fighting on bravely to be beaten only a neck.

Winner Destination, a Proisir three-year-old with Peter and Dawn Williams, clocked 49.32 for the trip, the third fastest of the eight three-year-old heats.

And Tiley says he instructed rider Dean Parker not to knock the youngster around given the footing was again very deep.

“The ground was very testing and that’s why I put him in the 800 metre heat not one over 1000 metres. It won’t hurt him as he’s fit and that will only bring him on.

“Dean said he gave him a beautiful feel. He’s only learning but he’s an accomplished horseman for his age.”

Lincoln Thunder, left, is ready to race but Lincoln Spring needs more education in the gates.Lincoln Thunder showed he was still green with a little mid stretch swerve - “but he had no rail to follow,” says Tiley.

“He’s a horse who learns pretty quickly - he’s improved significantly from his first trial - and on the back of what he did yesterday he shouldn’t be long showing form.

“I’ll find a nice soft maiden three-year-old to give him confidence and we’ll go from there.”

Giant stablemate Lincoln Spring, paceworking inside Lincoln Thunder here, did not trial yesterday as Tiley works to iron out his little quirk of avoiding the gates.

Lincoln Spring refused to load the last time Tiley took him to Avondale but he successfully went through the gates at home last week and he will run at rescheduled jumpouts at Pukekohe at the end of the month.

“He’s not scared of them - he’s just such a big boy.”