Revealed: Why Lincoln’s Girl will go close on Friday - she’s been smashing the clock

Lincoln’s Girl’s form line might not reflect it, but the filly has been going gangbusters and she’s a strong each way chance at Albion Park on Friday evening.

The key to Lincoln’s Girl’s chances in the fifth race is that she is back in the draw, and leaves the gate from three.

The Lincoln Farms’ owned filly was banished from the draw after galloping away on April 16 and forced to start from the second row and outside of the arm in her latest two races.

Her two efforts for seventh and third hid the fact she ran the fastest sectionals in her races both times, making up excellent ground after having to be snagged back to the rear.

Lincoln’s Girl sweeps round three wide turning in as she reels off a 54.38 last half.In her last start, on April 26, Lincoln’s Girl clocked an astonishing 54.38 for her last 800 metres, the fastest of the day, and closed in 27.3 to be only 6.6 metres from the winner in a 1:54.5 mile rate.

Trainer Al Barnes will tell you only a few of the very elite horses in Brisbane are capable of matching that 800 metre time.

Two starts back, from the second row, Lincoln’s Girl again made up a huge slice of ground, clocking 55.32 and 27.2 in a 1:55.9 mile, gaining 16.7 metres over the last 800 metres, according to Racing Queensland’s official stats.

The dilemma for Barnes and his driver son Hayden now is that while the filly has been running exceptional times, it’s because she hasn’t been burned early out of the gate.

On Friday, drawn three, the perfect game plan would be to cross the one and two horses then hand up to the four, Timeless Appeal, who led in their last meeting.

“If we lead, we win, but we don’t really want to push her too hard out of the gate and get her back in the habit of charging,’’ says Barnes.

“Ideally we could cross without using too much petrol then sit in behind the four and run it down up the stretch.’’

Barnes is confident Lincoln’s Girl won’t muck up the start this time now she’s fitted with hopple shorteners, which give the driver much more control early.

“The field is similar to last week, it’s a bit tricky, but she’s a good chance and depending on how the race is run I’m confident she should run first or second.’’

Barnes says Lincoln’s Girl, who won in her first appearance in Brisbane, is getting fitter with each run.

“Last week she had a heart rate of 89 afterwards, which is pretty good, but it took her two races to cool out - we had to wash her twice.

“She’s bright as a button today and I can’t fault her.’’

Lincoln’s Girl closed in a sizzling 54.38 last start.

Two starts back Lincoln’s Girl made up 16.7 metres over the last 800 metres, easily the best closer in the race.

Lincoln’s Girl races at 6.23pm NZ time on Friday.