John Street, right, and Ray Green with their guest from the crowd and Ian Middleton flanked by Rick and Laurie Pettinger enjoy the victory celebrations after Hampton Banner’s win at Auckland. PHOTO: Megan Leifting/Race Images.
A real Lincoln Farms celebration after Hampton Banner’s thrilling last-to-first win
By Barry Lichter • 7 February 2020
None of Lincoln Farms’ partners in Hampton Banner could be at Alexandra Park to see their horse’s spectacular win tonight but that didn’t stop the celebrations.
Moments after the rapidly improving three-year-old came from last to score an emphatic fresh-up win, Lincoln Farms’ owner John Street and business manager Ian Middleton found some people to share in the birdcage fun.
Street invited a stranger from the crowd to experience the thrill of winning and some Canadian friends of Middleton, Rick and Laurie Pettinger, joined the party for some memorable photos on their first visit to New Zealand.
The winners’ room was even more packed as partners in other Lincoln Farms horses shared a celebratory drink, a now firmly established tradition after the Lincoln green silks triumph.
Street graciously presented the trophy - a wine bottle labelled with the winning photo and glasses - to the Canadian couple as a memento of their trip, confident that there would be many more such fruits for his partners in the future.
Street and his wife Lynne race Hampton Banner with southerners Ian Kedzlie, Steve MacDonald, Robert Seebeck and Chris Prutton along with Aucklanders Dennis Ebert and Kevin and Annette Crosswell.
Zachary Butcher sits quietly on Hampton Banner after a peach of a drive to win at Alexandra Park. PHOTO: Megan Leifting/Race Images.And Street indicated the team could now have a horse capable of progressing on to the Northern Derby prelude in a fortnight.
“I didn’t think he could win fresh-up tonight from the outside of the second line but sometimes it just takes three-year-olds time to mature. If you wait for them, they do come right.
“This horse and Man Of Action (fourth) could both be derby horses.”
Trainer Ray Green confirmed Hampton Banner, by champion sire Bettor’s Delight, had been a slow maturer troubled by growing pains last year.
“But he’s stronger now and is just getting better and better.
“Zac said he won it easily and was just jogging on the turn.”
Zachary Butcher showed remarkable patience with Hampton Banner and was still last, joining the three wide train led by Man Of Action down the back straight the last time.
Butcher was still sitting quietly rounding the home turn when forced five wide but after unleashing the horse on straightening he quickly turned what looked an impossible deficit into a hollow win, clearing out by two and a half lengths.
“Zac said he even switched off after he hit the front.”
Hampton Banner clocked 2:42.2 for the mobile 2200 metres, his closing sectionals being much quicker than the 57.4 and 28.6 run off the front.
Man Of Action’s effort to finish fourth, just a head and half a length behind runner-up Sheffield Sparky, also pleased Green.
Despite being three wide with no cover for the last 700 metres, he was right in the fight up the home straight, in easily his best showing since clearing maidens at Cambridge last month and belying his tote odds of $67.
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Ultra-consistent Kevin Kline sold to the United States: Why Ray’s sorry to lose him
Nate having a last spin round on his wee mate Eric - and he’s in with a very good chance
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.25pm
“She won well on the first day but pulled very hard - Harry said his arms were that tired afterwards he couldn’t have lifted a 1kg dumb bell. She’s meeting a few nice ones here, up in grade, but she’s drawn better so you can’t count her out. She tries hard and really digs in.”
Race 7: Lincoln Downs
7.50pm
“She did everything right on Tuesday but she blew heavily afterwards and I think the heat got to her. She’s a place chance if she recovers OK.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.22pm
“She was jumping shadows on Tuesday and moves to the last race this time but she’s not the most genuine so I’m not holding my breath.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.28pm
“He hasn’t raced for three months but trialled really well. I pick he’s going to win one pretty quickly and, given he’s been running against the best two-year-olds in his previous preps, it should really be on Friday night. This lot of maidens aren’t in the same class and he’s as honest as they come, a tough little trier.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s really up against it from the outside of the second line, with all the favourites drawn well. She has to be the unluckest animal on the planet. With her, what can go wrong will. Even at the best of times you need a reasonable draw to figure but drawn in the bondocks here she’ll need incredible luck.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.09pm
“He had a short break while some vet work was done but is in good trim. Yes, there are a few in here that are vastly higher rated but his formline says it all - it’s not often he doesn’t get a cheque.”
Race 8: Tyson
9.09pm
“He was a bit unlucky last week that he didn’t get to them a bit sooner otherwise I think he would have won. Maurice said he thought they’d come back to him more, going 2:39 speed, but his closing sectionals were easily the best in the race.”
Race 10: Prince Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s grown into a beautiful horse, a quality looking colt, and who knows what he could be. He’ll obviously improve with the run but I still expect him to run well from his good draw. He trialled very well behind a good one.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly in seven, which gives Prince Lincoln the edge, but he too was making good ground in the workout.”
