We never got to see what was in big Diesel’s fuel tank at the trials but Thunder bolted out

They call him Diesel at Nigel Tiley’s stable - and with good reason.

Diesel, aka Lincoln Springs, is as big as a diesel truck and he showed just how aware of it he is at the Avondale trials on Tuesday.

Whereas stablemate Lincoln Thunder, having his first look at trial day, performed like he’d been doing it all his life, Diesel never even got mobile.

Very tall, estimated at 16.3 to 17 hands, and heavy at 586 kilos, the just turned three-year-old simply refused to go into the starting stalls, despite being tried for several minutes.

It was the second time Diesel had declined to try to squeeze his big frame into the gates at the trials and Kate Tiley, racing communications manager for dad Nigel Tiley’s stable is convinced it’s nothing more than that.

“He’s not petrified, that’s not why he’s not going in, he’s just so aware of his size. He is really large, the heaviest I’ve seen through the barn.

“He’s wary of even walking into the tie-ups because his head is so close to the roof. But he’s fine if he sees another horse go in in front of him.

“He has hit his head once but it’s not that he’s scared or even getting wound up because once he goes in, he’s fine.”

Tiley says Diesel has successfully walked through the starting stalls at home but hasn’t been overly drilled.

“We haven’t wanted to put any pressure on him so it does become ‘a thing’. But I think we might try him with a blindfold to get him in and give him some confidence.”

Lincoln Thunder, left, is dwarfed by Lincoln Springs. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.Lincoln Thunder, much smaller in stature, had no trouble in the gates on Tuesday, going in without fuss and jumping out fast to dispute the early lead in his 800 metre catchweight heat.

Apprentice Dean Parker did not push the Better Than Ready gelding, however, and in the worst of the ground on the inner he battled away well for third.

Parker reported the ground was extremely deep - after 46mm of rain overnight and 106mm in the last week - and Thunder didn’t enjoy it.

“He looks like a horse who will appreciate a much better track and there was no point in flogging him in those terrible conditions,” said Tiley.

“Dean had him under nice contact and said he felt really good.”

Just under four lengths from the winner, an unnamed Smart Missile three-year-old with Ben Foote, Thunder never flinched at this task.

“We were really happy with how he went for his first time, especially in those testing conditions. They’re both really nice horses and come September and the better tracks they should be ready to show us something.”