Stephen to spring blinkers surprise on laid-back Lincoln King in St Leger on Saturday

Trainer Stephen Marsh won’t be pulling the blinkers out of his bag until just before Lincoln King ambles out onto the track for the $55,000 NZ St Leger at Trentham on Saturday.

Marsh made the decision to race the horse in the new head gear immediately after he sleepwalked his way round Ellerslie under Danielle Johnson when ninth in last Saturday’s Auckland Cup but he didn’t want the most chilled out horse in his stable to get used to the change in trackwork during the week.

And if Marsh’s tactic works he believes Lincoln King will be a real threat in the staying feature in his first gallop on the big, roomy course.

“I know it’s a bit unusual coming out of a two mile race and backing up a week later over 2600 metres but he’s come through the race so well.

“He walked out onto the track on Monday morning like he did the previous Friday, just like he hadn’t had a race, and he hadn’t really.

“Danielle gave him a couple round the arse going into the gates and in the first couple of hundred metres but he wouldn’t go.”

The result was Lincoln King lost his midfield spot on the rails as one horse after another went around him, leaving him among the tailenders 700 metres out.

“Sure he got a check 800 metres out but he got himself into that spot by not travelling well. He should have been trucking into it on the bridle at that stage.”

Marsh said Lincoln King was on the bit more in his two 1600 metre races early this campaign, the second of which at Pukekohe saw him best of the rest behind Royal Performer who went on to win the Group I Herbie Dyke Stakes.

Trainer Stephen Marsh: “Why’s he so laid back? I asked him but he didn’t answer me.”“He’s not a bludger and hasn’t gone sour. He’s an absolute beauty of a horse. If they were all like him it would be easy.

“Why’s he so laid back? I asked him but he didn’t answer me. He’s like his trainer, so relaxed. That’s why I was so happy with him going into the cup.”

It’s actually not the first time Marsh has reached for the blinkers with Lincoln King. The last time, in January, 2020, Jason Waddell set him alight 1000 metres from home, looping the field to dispute the lead and go on to score an easy win over 2100 metres.

Marsh likes the fact Lincoln King gets to race at Trentham for the first time where on the wide open spaces horses have plenty of time to wind up.

“The 2600 metres will suit him too. Drawing wide adds a little bit of stickiness at the start but Danielle will go forward enough. I’d love to have seen him draw better but that’s what I said before the Auckland Cup when he did draw well.

“I definitely want to see him finish in the first three or four on Saturday. Waisake’s a good horse and is the one to beat but the way he’s been going previously, with blinkers on this time, we’ve got to be a real chance.”