1:52.8 opening salvo by Trojan Banner in the United States and Lincoln’s Girl in again
By Barry Lichter • 8 December 2019
The demand for Lincoln Farms pacers went up another notch when first Trojan Banner then Lincoln’s Girl won in the space of 24 hours in the United States.
Trojan Banner was having his first start in the United States since being sold out of Al Barnes’ Marburg stable in Queensland and lined up a well backed commodity at Dover Downs in Delaware with champion driver Tim Tetrick in the bike.
After drawing the outside of the eight-horse field, Trojan Banner was sixth in the early running before improving to be fourth in the one-one at the 400.
When brought out three wide in the stretch he swept past the former Ken Barron-trained Never Say Never to win decisively in a 1:52.8 mile.
Trained by Jim King jun., Trojan Banner is now raced by Richard Poillucci and JoAnn Looney-King and looks set to pick up where he left off for Barnes, who prepared him to win seven of his 10 starts in Brisbane.
Lincoln’s Girl … four wins in the States from six starts.At Harrah’s in Philadelphia Lincoln’s Girl took a lifetime best when she did it the hard way yet still clocked 1:52.8 in a US$17,000 mile.
Driven by champion Kiwi driver Dexter Dunn Lincoln’s Girl left the gate from four and was third early before easing off the markers to face the breeze for most of the last 800 metres, which was run in a slick 55.
She engaged in a good battle with the favourite Glorious Nite before edging ahead by three-quarters of a length.
It was Lincoln’s Girl’s fourth win from six starts in the States for trainer Josh Green and owners Richard Lombardo and David Kryway.
Barnes, who won five races with the daughter of Sir Lincoln earlier in the year, says the run of success comes as no surprise.
“She was a good mare who was just troubled by her stifles but I always thought she’d do well over there.”
Lincoln’s Girl is out of Tania Tandias, also the dam of Lincoln Road, whom Barnes trains, and Tommy Lincoln, who has just gone for a month’s spell after galloping at Auckland last Friday.
More news in Harness
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Dr Green goes to work on mentally fragile Tyson hoping to pen better script for Friday
Ray tells why he rates Lincoln Lou clearly best of Lincoln Farms’ quartet in the fourth race
It’s all up to Angus - Brisbane’s young gun needs to drive a pearler on Nemo at Redcliffe
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Mark Dux’s comments
Wednesday night at Redcliffe
Race 1: Captain Nemo
7.17pm NZ time
“It’s a reasonable field, they’re not push-overs, but they’re all beatable. It will all come down to who gets the right trip. If we have something go our way we could get some of it as there’s not a lot between them and I don’t think he’s far off now. We’ve got a bad draw again and there’s a bit of speed inside us so I’ll tell Angus to just play it by ear.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln La Moose
7.32pm
“He’s a pretty good horse. He was still below his best last time at Cambridge - he needed the race - but went very well for second behind King’s Watch. With his ace draw, he should be right up there for Zac (Butcher). He always looked a bit delicate but he’s got tougher.”
Race 4: Obadiah Dragon
7.32pm
“He’ll go a good race but our others look better here. His last run was below par for him so we took a blood off him and he had a bit of a virus going on. He was at the tail end of it but it was enough to stop him.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.32pm
“Even if he’s half a run short, I don’t think it will matter, he’ll still be too good for this lot. He only had a mild virus which came right with treatment and he’s trained on well since. He feels pretty good and if I was betting man, I’d bet him for sure based on his last run, which was massive.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.32pm
“He’s in a ‘coming of age’ phase. He rushed up beside them last start and wanted to lay all over them and give them a hug. But that’s normal coltish behaviour. He does that in training as well, rushes up and switches off. He has a lot of ability but also a few little behaviour traits that we need to get on top of.”
Race 6: My Copy
8.24pm
“It won’t be easy from four on the second row but he’s very honest and, if opportunity knocks, he’ll be right there. If he gets a trip, he’s always ready to pounce.”
Race 9: Tyson
9.39pm
“He should be one of the favourites. The raw ability is there and he’ll definitely win races as he has a bit of speed. How far he will take us we have yet to find out but I thought he did really well last time given the run he had.”
