Three from three on grass has Onedin set to Reign over summer
By Barry Lichter • 17 December 2018
Sir Lincoln mare Onedin Reign looks to be in for a good summer.
The four-year-old won her third race from only 12 starts at Rangiora on Sunday, a record which with just a little bit of luck could have been even more impressive, says trainer Robert Dunn.
“She’s gone some great races but has been plagued by terrible draws,’’ says Dunn. “She always seems to draw the outside or the second line.’’
Onedin Reign was, as usual, right beside the outside fence when she pinged the tapes at Rangiora for driver Matt Anderson.
The mare wrested the lead from Abiento on the turn out of the straight and Anderson made a race-winning move when he quickly handed up to the favourite Son Of A Tiger.
Matt Anderson lets Onedin Reign loose up the passing lane at Rangiora.That saw Onedin Reign get the dream trail until she hit the passing lane with a full head of steam before powering past Son Of A Tiger to win, going away, by three-quarters of a length to register her third win on grass and second winner for Sir Lincoln on the day.
“That was a dominant performance and she ran down a very good horse. I’ve always said she works like a horse who can win half a dozen races.’’
As well as bad draws, Onedin Reign has had to overcome wind issues.
“She’s had a wind operation and if you take hold of her she can still cut her wind off.
“When Ben (Hope) drove her recently she was cruising on the turn and he grabbed hold of her.’’
Onedin Reign is also inclined to tie up, a problem which Dunn says her mother Onedin Classic also struggled with.
Onedin Classic won two of her only nine races and was retired in July, 2012 after being hurt in a crash at Addington.
“We thought she’d make a nice broodmare as she’s from a strong southern family.’’
Dunn says her owners Garry and Terry Lane had always admired Sir Lincoln as a racehorse and after one foal by Changeover, chose the Alabar-based sire for their Bettor’s Delight mare.
Dunn is getting hooked on Sir Lincoln too.
“Johnny has just broken in a Sir Lincoln yearling he really likes. It’s a beautiful moving horse.’’
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Sir Lincoln Top 10
Did you know…
1. CUP DAY BIRTH: It was preordained Sir Lincoln would be a headliner when he was born just hours before the 2006 New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington. Three years later to the day, and almost the hour, he annihilated his rivals on the same course in the Sires’ Stakes Final.
2. AGE NO BARRIER: In his second last race start, at the age of six, Sir Lincoln paced the fastest 1700 metres in New Zealand history, 2:00.5, beating Gold Ace and clocking a mile rate of 1:54 at Alexandra Park. Champion pacer Elsu held the previous record at 2:01.1.
3. ON THREE LEGS: Sir Lincoln ran his last race virtually on three legs, when second to Terror To Love in an Interdominion heat at Auckland. He had to be pulled out of the Melbourne series, and retired, when found to have a subluxated pastern joint - basically his ankle joint was dislocated.
4. SWIFT GOLDEN MILE: Sir Lincoln’s fastest mile was recorded in the 2012 Group III Golden Mile at Menangle in Sydney when he was nosed out by Captain Joy in 1:51.4. He was known by the name Lincoln Royal in Australia.
5. AT THE REINS: One for the trivia fans - how many drivers did Sir Lincoln have in his 57-start career? Maurice McKendry was Linc’s pilot throughout his career but he was MIA four times when the horse was handled by James Stormont, Ken Barron and Blake Fitzpatrick (twice).
6. WINNERS KEEP COMING: In only his third season with runners on the track, Sir Lincoln has already sired the winners of 30 races despite having limited numbers to represent him. Last season in New Zealand alone he had 16 winners from only 39 starters and this term he already has six winners from just 18 starters.
7. SOMEBEACH SOME RAP: Breeding buffs made a beeline for Sir Lincoln after superstar racehorse and stallion Somebeachsomewhere had to be put down with cancer. Sir Lincoln is 7/8th bred on the same cross as Somebeachsomewhere - by Mach Three out of a Beach Towel mare who is in turn out of a Cam Fella mare.
8. DISCOUNT FOR LOYALTY: Broodmare owners are returning to Sir Lincoln in droves. Taken by the attractive foals he is leaving, many book straight back to the Alabar-based sire and take advantage of Lincoln Farms’ loyalty scheme which cuts his service fee in half to just $1250 plus GST.
9. TIME BEST FRIEND: Sir Lincoln’s progeny are mirroring the sire’s own start on the racetrack, benefitting from a little time to mature. The best the horse himself could manage as a two-year-old was one third from four starts but he was a different animal at three, winning four of his first five starts.
10. MEGASTAR’S FREAK DEATH: A freak accident claimed the life of valuable broodmare Lincoln’s Megastar, a full sister to Sir Lincoln. The mare, who opened her career with a nine and a half length walloping at Auckland, was retired after six wins, but left only one foal. She was killed when crushed by a fallen tree in a violent storm. Woodlands Stud has another full sister in two-year-old Moonlighting who is in training with Ray Green.