Emotional night at the Park as Sammy Lincoln steps up for John and his sister Maree

It was almost like some kind of divine intervention guided Sammy Lincoln to his long overdue win at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

Since he started racing in January the rangy three-year-old has run placing after placing, bad luck and inexperience keeping the winner’s circle from reach.

Sammy Lincoln sustains a long run to win well from Sriracha. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.But it was obvious from the emotion in the voice of Lincoln Farms’ owner John Street when giving the victory speech that Sammy’s first win couldn’t have come at a better time.

Street gifted 10% of the horse to his younger sister Maree Jones when he found out last year that she had breast cancer. And last week the diagnosis became terminal.

In an incredible 24 hours, first Lincoln Maree, a horse Street named after his sister, won at Cambridge on Thursday after months of struggling to regain her best form, and then Sammy Lincoln broke his duck at Auckland with a powerhouse display from the rear.

“It’s a great thrill to win this race tonight for Maree. They watched the race on TV in Matakana and were screaming for him - they’re over the moon.”

Street apologised to his other partners in Sammy Lincoln, three of whom were in the room, for keeping the trophy for Maree, whom he hoped would find some enjoyment following the horse, but he promised to give what would hopefully be many more to them.

“At last!” ATC steward and part-owner Pat Gubb strides into the winner’s circle.And it wasn’t hard to guess where the next memento would be going as Auckland Trotting Club steward David Turner invited his fellow steward Pat Gubb to say a few words.

Ironically, Turner shares in the ownership of Lincoln Wave, who started racing the same night as Sammy Lincoln and in the interim has won four races.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for ages,” said Gubb who had marched triumphantly into the winner’s circle with fists raised, trumpeting: “At last!”

Gubb, who serves drinks on racenight to winning connections, poured a glass of red wine for himself this time, declaring it his first for years.

Gubb praised Harrison Orange for his drive on Sammy Lincoln but admitted he was very worried when he went back to the inside a lap from home.

Watching a replay of the race, Gubb marvelled at the speed Sammy Lincoln showed when Orange unleashed him down the back straight, clocking a 57.4 last half.

For Gubb, it was his most enjoyable win with Lincoln Farms, Bondi Shake the first of six horses he has raced in John and Lynne Street’s special partnerships since 2020.

“He won six races, but all of them were in Australia, which isn’t as much fun. All you can do is watch on TV. And when he won his first race I didn’t even know he was running.

“Now that Sammy knows how to win, he might win a few more.”

Lance Myocevich … “Im very lucky to be in this horse.”Lance Myocevich, who had his family with him to enjoy the night, has been in so many Lincoln Farms’ horses since his first, Linc’s Tiger, in 2017 that he’s lost count.

“There are a lot of winning photos on the wall but most of them were sold. I’m very lucky to be in this horse.”

Priscilla Edmunds, 83, was there too, enjoying her best winner with Lincoln Farms since Simply Sam won seven races before his sale to Australia.

Absentees were Lincoln Farms’ business manager, Ian Middleton, in the Central Districts to see Shameless Star and Danjuro race at Otaki, and Warren Collett.

Confidence

Street said he expected the win would give Sammy Lincoln a lot of confidence and he hoped he would go on to win many more races.

“When he was young, not even a two-year-old, Zac Butcher said he was a lovely horse and he’s not often wrong.”

John Street enjoying the moment with Harrison Orange.Later, in the stables, Street congratulated and thanked Orange for his win on Sammy Lincoln, explaining why it meant so much to him.

And he was delighted to hear Orange tell how easily the horse won.

“He felt like he always had them covered,” Orange said. “I had to be careful round the last bend - he tries to go too quick for himself - but when you hold on to him, he’s fine.”

Orange said he decided to take off 800 metres from home when the pace was too slow and he was impressed by how well the gelding sustained his long run.

Ray Green, pleased to see Sammy finally deliver “after talking him up a few times.”Co-trainer Ray Green said while Sammy had high speed, it wasn’t surprising he had taken a few runs to get organised. “He’s a big, rangy horse and the Always B Mikis take a bit of time. The raw ability is there, he just needs to get a bit stronger.

“But not many pull from the half and do what he’s done tonight.”

Sammy Lincoln was credited with a slick 2:43.8 for the 2200 metres, a mile rate of 1:59.7, as he easily held off a late run from Sriracha to win by one and a quarter lengths.

But Green revealed neither Sammy Lincoln nor Lincoln Wave would travel south next week for the Sires’ Stakes Three-year-old Final at Addington, a $200,000 feature for which they have qualified.

“By the time you’ve paid for travel down there and other expenses like accommodation and a car it costs $20k. When you’re paying that sort of money you don’t need any Jumals to run into. No, we’ll pick away up here.”