All steam ahead for the derby after Lincoln Falls scores easily at Trentham

Trainer Lisa Latta will set talented three-year-old Lincoln Falls for the $1 million New Zealand Derby after his stylish win at Trentham today.

Lincoln Falls, ridden by Johnathan Parkes, notched his second win from only three starts, clearing out by a length and a quarter at the finish of the Lone Star Petone Premier (1400m).

Lincoln Falls sat just off the leaders before easily reeling in the front-runner Kahu Rock.

“He had to work a bit today and it’s always hard to know what to expect on an off track, but he’s done what we wanted him to,” Latta said.

An athletic son of six-time Group I winner Dundeel, Lincoln Falls is likely to get his first look at Ellerslie in the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) on Boxing Day, before returning to Auckland for the 2400 metre derby on March 2.

Johnathan Parkes brings Lincoln Falls back to scale. PHOTO: Peter Rubery/Race Images.Parkes reported Lincoln Falls was simply a class above his rivals today.

“I like the way he settled off a very slow pace and travelled up really well.

“I still think he is learning and every time he gets out there the penny is going to drop a little more, but he is a first-class animal and he will go on to bigger and better things.”

Lincoln Falls was an impressive winner at Woodville on debut before being beaten a head by Langkawi over 1400m at Hastings in early October.

“He was just feeling his shins a little bit leading in to Hastings and quite a bit afterwards, so we made the decision to put him aside for three weeks,” Latta said.

“He came back and trialled up really well ten days ago.”

A graduate of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale, Lincoln Falls was sold by JK Farm on behalf of Nearco Stud for $200,000 to Lincoln Farms Bloodstock.

The colt is now raced by prominent owners Christopher Grace, Kevin Pratt of Kamada Bloodstock and John and Lynne Street of Lincoln Farms Bloodstock.