Our new partnerships: There are no rules - cheapies can be as good as sale standouts

The fact that ‘Bill’, ‘Dragon’ and ‘Frisky’ are top of the baby class at Lincoln Farms only serves to underline there are no rules in finding your next winner.

When the trio, who turned two today, matched motors in a private workout at Pukekohe there was little between them, their varying price tags no reflection of their ability.

Sure, Bill, at $140,000, was one of the most inspected lots of Woodlands Stud’s yearling draft at Karaka last February, being by its exciting sire Downbytheseaside out of the pedigree rich Everlasting Grace.

But his two opponents were far cheaper, ‘Dragon’ (Fear The Dragon - Lillian) costing $30,000 and ‘Frisky’ (Downbytheseaside - Idealistic) plucked by trainer Ray Green for just $9000 as a weanling.

“We know there are no rules, we’ve stamped that a few times,” says Green. “A lot of our best ones have come from that weanling sale, horses like Hard Copy, Copy That, Larry Lincoln and Billy Lincoln.

“Just because some horses cost plenty doesn’t mean they’re better.”

Green’s colt out of Idealistic, whom he’ll race with Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street, couldn’t have been much cheaper.

“But he was the nicest Downbytheseaside at that (2021) weanling sale. A lot of weanlings are tall, gangly and weak but he had good conformation and was the most muscular.”

Lincoln Cove (Downbytheseaside -Everlasting Grace) has a great heart recovery rate. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.‘Bill’, racename Lincoln Cove, also came with the same rap from February’s yearling sale, though Green was doing his viewing long distance from Victoria, when trapped there by the Covid pandemic.

“He stood out in the sale. He’s a nice, big colt and I think he’ll prove to be a good buy.

“He paces well but his big advantage is his heart rate recovery is better than any of the others so he obviously has a good motor.”

It’s that attribute, shared by stable star Copy That, which has stable foreman Andrew Drake predicting Lincoln Cove is the most likely to succeed of the class of ’22.

Two colts by new stallion Fear The Dragon also sit high in the pecking order.

‘Dragon’, who will race as Obadiah Dragon, cost Lincoln Farms’ business manager Ian Middleton $27,000 at the Christchurch yearling sale. He has responded every time his work has been stepped up in recent weeks.

Andrew Drake gets to know one of the new babies, Nearer The Dragon. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.Another Fear The Dragon colt, called Nearer The Dragon, was up with the top three a week or so ago before he got tired and was turned out for a break.

The Streets will also share in racing the $14,000 colt, bought by Debbie Green in Christchurch.

“We’ve had to slow down on some of them,” says Green. “Some arrive sooner than others and that’s always the case.

“But they’re a nice bunch and it’s looking very promising. We’ve got some nice fillies there, including three by Sweet Lou.

“I couldn’t condemn any of them at this stage but we’ll see what happens down the road.

Lincoln Blue … a chunky Bettor’ Delight colt related to Lincoln Farms’ previous good winner Chachingchaching. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.“Once they get to trials we’ll know a lot more. Some will cope, some won’t. Whether they’re superstars or not, we’re a long way from finding out.

“There’s no real urgency to burn, but they’re coming down nicely. The most forward will get down to 2:10 next week then we’ll show them the gate.”

Drake expects the first triallers to step out on January 7 and 13.

The Young Guns series at Auckland is due to begin on February 17, with two further heats on March 3 and March 17.

Colts and geldings who qualify for the final will compete in the Cardigan Bay Stakes on March 24, and the fillies will run in the Delightful Lady Classic the same night. The final purses were set down for $70,000 but are expected to be subject to a 10% stakes cut.

Click on this hyperlink to check out the credentials of the Lincoln Farms’ class of 2023 which are available for partnerships, with some terrific shots by leading photographer Trish Dunell.

Leo Lincoln (Zachary Butcher) leads a Bettor’s Delight - Dream Offer filly (Andrew Drake), Lincoln Blue (Andre Poutama) and Lincoln La Moose (Andy Sharpe).