Blinkers for Lincoln King in Dunstan Final as Stephen chases another terrific Ellerslie prize

High flying trainer Stephen Marsh will fit blinkers to Lincoln King for the $100,000 Dunstan Stayers’ Championship, determined to leave no stone unturned in his bid for a lucrative New Year’s Day prize.

Marsh, who is having a superlative season, and with 46 wins lies only three behind premiership leader Jamie Richards, is aiming three horses at the 2400 metre final at Ellerslie.

Marsh, who won the race last year with Starrybeel, is chasing not only the $60,000 first prize but a terrific $21,000 trainer’s bonus, in the form of a credit towards buying a yearling at New Zealand Bloodstock’s sales in January.

Just 12 months ago Marsh bagged another novel trainer’s prize when he won a shiny new Harley Davidson motorcycle for winning the Bat Out Of Hell 1200 at Ellerslie.

The new incentive, to celebrate Dunstan Feeds’ 21st year sponsoring the event, has Marsh going all out with Lincoln King, Trumpet and Prince Albert, and after plenty of thought he believes he has to “go for it” by using blinkers for the first time on Lincoln King.

Marsh feared the five-year-old was going to drop out and run last at Te Rapa last weekend when he saw him apparently labouring near the tail of the field.

“He eventually picked up with some urgent riding from Danielle (Johnson) and hit the line well, doing well for sixth considering how hard it was to make up ground on the day.

“He’s been like that in his last few runs, off the bit and doing not a lot. He’s just so laid back, he’s the most laid back horse we’ve had. But he can’t get away with that in a big field, he needs to travel in the race, so I think we have to put blinkers on him.”

Lincoln King sealed his place in the Dunstan Final when he downed Kya Khoob Lagti Ho at Ellerslie two starts back, Frank Ritchie’s improver jumping to the top of the points table by scoring at Te Rapa.

Only four qualifying races remain for the Stayers’ Final, two on Saturday at Te Rapa and two on Boxing Day at Ellerslie and Awapuni.

Marsh reports Lincoln King has come through his final lead-up in great shape and is having an easy week before his next gallop.

Marsh is keen on Lincoln King’s chances at Ellerslie, the horse’s late closing style perfectly suited to 2400 metres.

Ironically his main opposition could come from the trainers of two horses who pushed Starrybeel hardest last year, Shaune Ritchie, who had the runner-up The Good Fight, and his father Frank who lined up third placegetter Fiscal Fantasy.

Shaune Ritchie’s rep this time is the consistent and classy Swords Drawn who didn’t get all favours when third last time at Ellerslie, making the 1600m crossing awkwardly then being dictated wide at the 400. He was also found to have mild colic after the race.