Tony and Mango couldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth - now they want to clap for Thunder

Lincoln Farms’ boss John Street has gifted shares in Wednesday’s Ruakaka debutant Lincoln Thunder to two of New Zealand’s best reinsmen.

And while Tony Herlihy and Brent Mangos haven’t had the best of luck so far in their previous encounters with thoroughbreds, trainer Nigel Tiley is confident Thunder will do them proud.

Herlihy, who is easily the country’s most successful driver with 3509 wins, jokes Street caught him with his guard down at a recent luncheon hosted by New Zealand Bloodstock.

“We were drinking pretty heavily at the time but John was very generous and I’m sure we’ll have a bit of fun with the horse.”

The Chief looked the part as a yearling but he won only one race for Herlihy and Mangos.The bar has been set pretty low for Lincoln Thunder as the first galloper Herlihy and Mangos had an interest in only ever hit the winning post first - and even then he shared the purse, dead-heating at Ruakaka in September 2016. More often than not the only thing he hit was the wall.

The Chief, trained by Trevor and Stephen McKee, was bred to be a champion, by Darci Brahma out of The Grin, who was a three-quarter sister to 1999 Auckland Cup winner Irish Chance and a half sister to 2002-03 champion filly The Jewel. The feats of his dam and her offspring were so impressive they filled the entire pedigree page.

“They paid $65,000 for him but he couldn’t stay a yard,” says Mangos. “This one won’t have to be much good to be better. They packed him off down south in the end.”

Herlihy’s only other galloper also won only one race with Allan Sharrock so Street is determined Lincoln Thunder can do the business for him.

“I’ve had a long association with Tony - he drove my first winner, Agent Orange in 1987 when Roy Purdon was training for me.”

Herlihy recalls the mare, whom he bought as a yearling and trained himself for a while.

“I trained a couple for John at Pukekohe when he first ventured into trotting.”

Street is even keener for Mangos to enjoy racing Lincoln Thunder as his last ownership experience with the south Auckland horseman proved less than memorable.

Mangos, who recently joined the drivers’ elite 1500 winners club, went halves with Street in 2015 on a well bred Sir Lincoln - Finiamo colt, bought at the weanling sales.

Street put up the $35,000 sale price for Luciano Lincoln - “I paid too much for it” - and Mangos didn’t charge to train him.

“I had him for a year and got him going but he was a nut case and never got to the races,” Mangos said.

Tiley says in Lincoln Thunder they have the furtherest thing from a nut case you could imagine.

John Street, left, with business manager Ian Middleton, who race Lincoln Thunder together.The three-year-old, who will also be raced by Lincoln Farms’ business manager Ian Middleton, is so sensible and professional, Tiley might well have labelled him a first-up winner in the third race on Wednesday had he drawn better than 10.

“He’s certainly capable of running one, two or three, I just wish he’d drawn better.

“He’s come in to nine with a scratching and I’m just hoping a couple more drop out.”

Tiley says the 1200 metre maiden isn’t a bad field - at this time of year he says you get a lot of three-year-old trial winners - and in that category lie smart recent trialists Shotgun Sally and Ferindi.

But Lincoln Thunder has also shown ability at the trials, improving each time, and his latest second to Destination at Avondale on September 12, was franked at the weekend when the Peter and Dawn Williams-trained horse scored stylishly fresh-up at Ellerslie.

“He looks like a smart horse so that’s a positive for us,” says Tiley. “And having a senior rider will make a difference.”

Lincoln Thunder has been ridden at the trials by promising rookie Dean Parker but gets the strong and experienced Vinnie Colgan on Wednesday.

“The horse has got gate speed and I won’t be unduly concerned if he gets caught wide so long as he gets a bit of cover.”

Tiley is wary that not every horse handles Ruakaka - “it seems to trip some up - but it’s a nice place to kick him off, on a much better surface than we’d get anywhere else.”

Tiley has four representatives in the race but says only Clever Approach, with the advantage of the inside gate, could foot it with Lincoln Thunder.

“There’s not a lot between those two but my two fillies (Thousandkissesdeep and Zakalicious) haven’t shown a lot yet.”

Tiley says Lincoln Thunder, a son of Better Than Ready, needs only a bit of luck from his draw to be right in the hunt on Wednesday and he has no doubt he will strike form quickly.

Lincoln Thunder had plenty of admirers at the sales.