Celebrating Tommy’s win with Shannon - but, sadly, one person’s missing from this photo

It was almost as if there was some divine intervention at work when Tommy Lincoln upset his rivals to win at Alexandra Park. It was just a shame his timing was a little out.

Co-owner Shannon Flay would have loved nothing better than to see her dad Arthur standing there alongside her in the winners’ circle last Friday night but, sadly, he died just three weeks ago.

Tommy Lincoln has hot favourite Infatuation well covered at the finish on Friday night. PHOTO: Joel Gillan/Race Images.Flay admits she had an “emotional moment” when Tommy strode clear in the hands of David Butcher to score the unexpected win in only his second race and first for four months. But maybe she had an inkling that Tommy was on board as she brought some support along in younger sister Bianca and her boyfriend Jay, and a few other friends.

And she also had her dad’s wedding ring with her for good luck.

“I had my fingers crossed the whole time, just thinking it would be really amazing if he won, just very poetic, but it was also hard because he was “our horse” and dad wasn’t there.

“I was thinking about the conversation we would have had when I got home that evening as well.

“It would be easy to believe that dad was backseat driving, but he’d have to give credit to a great drive by David.’’

Flay says last Friday night was really special and she felt incredibly blessed to be given the trophy afterwards.

David Butcher brings Tommy Lincoln back to scale. PHOTO: Joel Gillan/Race Images.“Dad had said Tommy didn’t have to be a champion, he just needed one win.”

Flay said her dad had been very excited about the prospect of seeing his name in the racebook when Tommy raced.

He had chosen the horse himself last September from several paraded at Lincoln Farms by trainer Ray Green.

It was at the time when Northview Hustler was going so well - he’d just won the Spring Cup - and Shannon, a partner in Hustler, had been encouraging her dad to get involved in his first horse.

“I showed him the list of two-year-olds we could buy into and he wanted a filly, but he looked at the names of the others and liked the name Tommy Lincoln.

“We looked at the fillies first and dad really liked the look of one, and was decided, and didn’t want to see the gelding, but Ray was already walking him out.

The day Ray Green paraded Tommy Lincoln and it was love at first sight for the late Arthur Flay.“It was love at first sight! And as soon as we got into the car afterwards dad said: ‘I want Tommy Lincoln’. He was a really sweet horse and I liked him a lot as well.”

It proved to be an inspired choice. Her dad could easily have gone the way of the filly, then named Princess Isabel, because she was ready to race and looked a little professional, while Tommy needed time - he was so big his stable name was Timber. But the filly, later renamed Hilary Barry, has struggled in seven starts, while Tommy has now won in just his second race.

Flay is sad that her dad will miss the enjoyment she’s having with the horses. While he’d been in renal failure since he was a teen and had been told he wouldn’t make 50, he was 73 and getting by - until he suddenly was admitted to hospital at Easter.

Shannon Flay, left, with Merle Gradwell and Northview Hustler after his Spring Cup win.Flay says while things have changed for her now, financially, she’s managed to keep a small share in Tommy: “I couldn’t not because dad picked him.’’

One of Flay’s older sisters is also buying in and she says she’s looking forward to a repeat of all the fun Friday nights she had with Hustler before he was sent to Australia.

And, yes, Flay has booked her tickets to Brisbane to watch Hustler in the Blacks A Fake Championship on July 20.

“It’s given us all something to look forward to.

“And I’ll definitely be taking dad’s ring with me.’’