Al just has some tinkering to do with Billy then he’ll be winning them in a row

Billy Lincoln did a bit wrong but still showed in easily taking his trial at Albion Park yesterday that he is a winner-in-waiting.

The latest recruit to Lincoln Farms’ Queensland team with Al Barnes completely dominated his 1660 metre heat, getting home by 8.4 metres in a mile rate of 1:57.5.

The three-year-old wasn’t rushed out from the pole by driver Hayden Barnes who took an early trail behind Delight Of Rani, before going round to lead a couple of hundred metres later.

Billy Lincoln paced strongly throughout, easing out to a four length lead 400 metres from home, and was untested in the straight to win comfortably.

Billy Lincoln … out on his own and cruising for driver Hayden Barnes.“He went 1:57 easily and his fitness can improve too so he’ll be winning first-up in a couple of weeks,” says Barnes.

“We’ve just got some fine tuning to do first. He paced a bit roughly on the first and last turn when he got on his knee a bit and Hayden had to grab hold. You could see marks high up on his knee boot.

“He’s a big, dopey bugger who is quite green but on what he showed today he will reel off a nice mile. He’ll go 1:55 and will certainly string a few (wins) together.

“But he’s still growing - he’s a bit gappy in the joints - and we won’t see him bloom until he’s a late three-year-old or four-year-old.

“He’ll keep trialling until he’s doing things right but he should be at the races in a few weeks.”

Billy Lincoln ran home his last 800 metres in 57.9 and 400 in 29.