‘Bring on the cup!’ - Stephen ecstatic with Lincoln King’s warm-up at Ellerslie

“Bring on the cup!”

Trainer and co-owner Stephen Marsh says he can’t wait eight days to see Lincoln King contest the $500,000 Auckland Cup after was beaten only by the bob of the head in today’s Nathan’s Memorial at Ellerslie.

In a stirring finish where only a nose, a long head, a nose and a neck separated the first five home, it was Lincoln Farms’ Lincoln King who had a red light flashing on his head as he powered to the line, photo-finished by Swords Drawn.

“How good was that?” Marsh said.

“He’s gone awesome. You just couldn’t fault anything about it. He relaxed nicely and hit the line super.

In a packed finish, Lincoln King just misses, Darren Danis (green) hauls back sharply on Super Sid, and Hurry Cane, lower right, motors home.“Today was only ever a go round for him to get him ready for the cup so we really are ultra happy.”

The TAB bookies immediately brought the Wellington Cup winner in one point for the 3200 metre feature next Sunday and he now shares the third line of favouritism at $8 with Hit The Road Jack, with Sound at $3.50 and Concert Hall at $4.50, none of whom lined up today.

Marsh said he was pleased with the ride of apprentice Joe Kamaruddin who was pinch hitting for a suspended Craig Grylls.

Kamaruddin settled the horse midfield on the fence and brought him out to challenge down the home stretch, Lincoln King running out late under the whip. With Swords Drawn running in, it caused a sandwich right near the line, fifth-placed Super Sid having to be sharply checked right on the post.

“I thought the boy did a terrific job but it will be great to get Craig Grylls back in the saddle next week,” Marsh said.

“The horse has pulled up terrific. It’s bloody exciting times.”

The other big movers in the cup market were Swords Drawn, in from $18 to $12 and New Zealand Cup placegetter Hurry Cane ($15 in to $9), whose ground devouring last 200 metres saw him run eighth, but only 3.2 lengths from the winner.