Our former pin-up boy Trojan Banner earns headlines at The Meadowlands with 1:51 mile
By Barry Lichter • 16 June 2020
Former Lincoln Farms pacer Trojan Banner has made a great start to a new campaign by winning in his first attempt at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
In just his fourth start in the States since being sold out of Al Barnes’ Queensland stable, Trojan Banner (yellow wheels) unleashed a big sprint in the home stretch to nail the former Tony Herlihy-trained Italian Delight on the wire.
In a tight three-way finish, Trojan Banner was credited with a 1:51 flat mile, after reeling off his last 400 metres in 26.6.
Champion driver Tim Tetrick drove a perfect race on the Bettor’s Delight four-year-old, starting from three on the gate and slotting him into fifth possie as Italian Delight streaked to the early lead for Andrew McCarthy.
Tetrick manoeuvred into the one-one at the three-quarters mark then eased out to make his run after hot favourite Thinkbig Dreambig in the stretch.
Trojan Banner showed all the fight which saw him rack up seven straight wins for Barnes in Queensland, and brought his US record to four starts for two wins and a third for US$23,035 in stakes.
The only time he has been out of the money was at his previous start in March when he ran a big fourth in 1:49.4, as rank outsider, in a US$50,000 Invitational at Dover Downs.
Trojan Banner is now trained by Jim King jun., for Richard Poillucci and Jo Ann Looney-King.
Former Kiwis Runrunjimmydunn and The Bettormack, who were both trained here by Bunty Hughes, ran seventh and eighth.
Earlier in the night, another Lincoln Farms export from Queensland, Billy Lincoln, ran a fine US debut fourth from eight on the gate, ripping home in 26.4 behind the red hot favourite Moneyman Hill, in the hands of Kiwi star Dexter Dunn.
Billy Lincoln racked up three wins and three seconds from only seven starts for Barnes before his sale last November.
More news in Harness
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Ray: Preferential draw for top fillies makes it tough for everyone else in Golden Gait series
Patient owners hoping high-priced Colonel can salute at Cambridge on Thursday night
Friday’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup all about the standing start manners of Aussie raider
Our runners this week
Tuesday at Cambridge
Colonel Lincoln, Onyx Shard, Commander Lincoln, Debbie Lincoln, Kevin Kline, Lincoln La Moose, The Big Lebowski.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Commander Lincoln
5.51pm
“Back to Cambridge and the easier amateur ranks he can get some of it. He’s an honest little horse who pays his way.”
Race 4: Onyx Shard
6.49pm
“She’s a nice filly who is training really well and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her in the money in spite of the outside draw. She’d be one of the best in that field and is definitely an each-way chance.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.39pm
“He hasn’t raced for nearly 21 months but his training has been good and he should go well first-up. He’s a beautiful, big horse who probably lacks a yard of speed to be a real super horse but he’s got everything else. I expect him to go well against this lot.”
Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
8.04pm
“He’s training well and has surprised us before, like when he won his first start at Cambridge like a monster after breaking on the first turn. It’s always the way when they win their first start - it makes things hard for them after that - but he’s travelling well now and is capable of being in it.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.09pm
“He’ll be relying on a heap of good luck from the second row. His last run was a non-event. The poor little bugger couldn’t have done a better job of finding trouble. He’s trained on all right.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.09pm
“He’s training really well and he showed last time what a big motor he had, losing all that ground early and still getting up to win. He’s not famous for his gate speed but as long as he gets away safely then Maurice can put him in the race at the right time. There are a lot of horses in there that aren’t that safe who could stand on their ear. Navigating through them is always a worry. He’ll need some luck but he could give them a fright.”
Race 6: Frisco Bay
8.05pm
“He obviously can’t beat Duchess Megxit or Jeremiah but if he gets a good trip he’s a chance of getting some money. Things didn’t suit him last time - being out three wide then going to the front. He’s so hot, he over-races. He goes best if he’s allowed to slop out and find the back of something, when he generally relaxes. Even if he got back a bit, that would be all right, so long as he gets sucked along.”
