Lincoln La Moose (Peter Ferguson) powers past Always B Charlie at Cambridge. PHOTO: Ange Bridson/Race Images.
A Moose in his happy place is a fast Moose but programming hurdles lie ahead
By Barry Lichter • 3 October 2025
Keeping Lincoln La Moose in his happy place is the key to getting the best out of him but driver Peter Ferguson fears our programming will soon force the horse offshore.
Fergie’s familiarity with Lincoln Farms’ speedy four-year-old helped him to a PB at Cambridge on Thursday night when he came from last to win in 2:40 flat for the 2200 metres.
Conscious that it was his first race for three and a half months, and that he had trialled only once, Fergie opted not to hunt Lincoln La Moose off the gate.
“I thought the way the race would probably unfold that rushing out wouldn’t be the best thing. And I was guided by the horse who was happy to come out quietly.
“Last prep he got a bit hot by going forward too often. And he came to the end of it. He’d had a lot of racing and started getting a bit angry.
“But he’s got ability and if he’s in his happy place he shows his full potential.”
Lincoln La Moose was still last at the bell when Fergie slotted onto the back of Rough And Ready for a one-one ride home.
And he still had four of five lengths to make up on clear leader Always B Charlie turning for home but unleashed a powerhouse sprint to collar him close to home and score by a length.
“It’s hard to come from the back like that at Cambridge. They came home in 28.2 so he’s gone a sub-28 quarter.”
But the win, his fifth for owners John and Lynne Street, Ian Middleton, the Green Machine Syndicate, the Blue and White Syndicate and Glenn and Ann Cotterill, takes him closer to a rating that will make it very difficult for him in New Zealand.
‘A lot more wins in him’
“There are a lot more wins in him but you’d think his future lies off shore,” Ferguson said.
Re-rated five points to R52, for just a $4400 winning stake, Lincoln La Moose will probably have to be driven by a claiming junior next start, like Always B Charlie on Thursday night. The race, for R47 to R50 pacers, was open to R51 to R55 horses only if driven by a concession junior.
“It’s hard for horses like him who aren’t so good right-handed. He struggles a bit on the bends and it’s a lot harder at Auckland too so where can he go?
“We’ve only got $8000 races at Cambridge every week. I say Manawatu can’t come quick enough.
“One more win and it’s going to be very hard to justify keeping him in New Zealand.”
Lincoln La Moose is certainly bred to win more races. By Art Major, his dam Cullens Princess was unraced but her grand-dam is the good producer Tosti Girl.
That makes Cullen’s Princess a half sister to New Zealand Cup winner Thefixer and the speedy 13-race winner The Honey Queen.
Lincoln La Moose took his stake earnings to $41,951 on Thursday night and trainers Ray Green and Nathan Delany to ninth equal on the premiership with 33 wins.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
