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.
More news in Harness
Rivergirl Bella finally delivers - and Phil kicks himself for not being there or having a punt
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
Update: Scratched
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
