Talented but injury-plagued Lincoln Falls set for another comeback after cracking trial

News of Lincoln Falls’ excellent trial at Otaki yesterday could not have come at a better time for Lincoln Farms’ owner John Street.

Street has been a little under the weather for the last three days after contracting Covid but trainer Lisa Latta’s good report on one of his favourite gallopers was better than any panadol.

And he can now look forward to Lincoln Falls resurrecting his injury-plagued career in just 16 days.

Latta has penned in a $30,000 race at Awapuni on Friday, April 8, for the six-year-old’s long awaited resumption, with no sign today of the tendon issues which have restricted him to just 10 lifetime starts.

Street knows he can’t get too excited about the prospect of the horse’s return, given tendon injuries have twice stopped him in his tracks.

But the stem cell therapy which he had done in February, 2021 after Lincoln Falls’ second injury seems to have done the trick.

“You never know with tendon injuries but Lisa has been very, very patient with him,” Street said. “She’s spent a lot of time with him on the treadmill and walker so she deserves to get some pay back.

“He’s a horse with a lot of ability and if he stays sound he could win a few nice races.”

Latta, who took over the rehabilitation of Lincoln Falls after the early work was done by Bryce Newman, said after a month off over Christmas she had brought the horse up slowly.

And after an initial quiet jumpout at Levin on March 15, when he was pipped a nose, he was “pretty fit” when he lined up under Ryan Elliot in yesterday’s trial over 1000 metres.

“He jumped well and worked into it nicely. TurningLincoln Falls jogs home in December, 2020, in his first start after a 17-month break, recovering from a tendon injury. PHOTO: Peter Rubery/Race Images. in Ryan let him go a little and he kicked nicely, maintaining a strong gallop to the line without being asked.”

Though beaten half a neck into second by the Peter Didham-trained Champers, there’s little doubt he could have won if extended.

“But we didn’t want to knock him around as it was quite a testing track,” Latta said of the 61.56 outing, fastest of the three open heats on the day.

“His trial was very good and he had a blow afterwards which will fit him for his first race, a rating 74 over 1200 metres.”

Lincoln Falls won’t have raced for 15 months when he lines up for that event but a 17 month absence didn’t stop him after his first tendon injury when he made a winning comeback with a powerhouse finish, also over 1200 metres at Awapuni.

“I’m pleased to have him back but you never know with tendons, he’s obviously a day-to-day proposition,” Latta said.

Street knows that but he still hopes the horse gets the chance to improve on his three win and $65,525 record, especially for Taupo supermarket owner Chris Grace, his stepson Jamie Ireton and five of his mates who have a 25% share.

Street says he still has a 2018 letter from Australian Mick Price offering him $1.2 million for the horse after his impressive early trials.

Ironically Street also ended up on the losing end of a previous huge deal with Lincoln Farms’ pacer King Of Swing.

Earlier that year he accepted a large offer from Perth for the horse after he had won seven of his 13 starts and $236,244, most of it from bagging the Breeders Crown.

King Of Swing retired just last week after winning his 44th race and third Miracle Mile, with a bankroll of A$3.39 million.