Everything goes to script for new Gold Card member David Turner as Lincoln Wave swells

A triple treat night for Lincoln Farms started in rare style at Alexandra Park when everything went to script in the David Turner - Welcome to the Gold Card Club Pace.

Lincoln Wave, the first of three winners for trainers Ray Green and Nathan Delany, was appropriately co-owned by Turner and fellow ATC steward Phil Kelly who told how weeks of planning went into the winners’ room celebrations.

First arranging for the race to be named after Turner, who joined the Gold Card club on his 65th birthday the previous day, then fortuitously having their horse contest it, and win, the occasion was capped with the surprise attendance of Turner’s wife Louise and daughter Georgia.

And along with plenty of accolades for Turner’s work for the ATC, the roomful of celebrities gave him a rousing happy birthday rendition to make Lincoln Wave’s second win in a week all the more memorable.

Turner thanked everyone for sharing his birthday celebration and especially John and Lynne for allowing him in the horse.

“We have such good fun with Lincoln Farms, they’re the fairest people to be with.

“To win two races in a row here is amazing. I just love this industry so much, more importantly I love all the perople I’m associated with, that’s why I come week after week.”

Johnny Lincoln all-the-way in a cake walk. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images. Turner had yet to even hear the raps being given the horse by Green and Maurice McKendry who piloted Lincoln Wave in his cake walk front-running exhibition.

“It’s like he’s been here before,” Green said of the imposing looking colt who debuted just a week earlier.

“He’s such a professional already, but then all good horses are pretty laid back.”

McKendry said the Downbytheseaside colt really only had to run up the home straight to beat Hey Miki by one and a quarter lengths.

In a pedestrian 2:48.3 for the 2200 metres, Lincoln Wave sprinted his last half in 57.8 and 27.5, McKendry saying he was never stressed.

“It’s hard to know what he’ll be like until he gets under pressure because he’s doing it real easy at the moment.

“It will obviously get tougher from now on but he’s like an old hand and I think he’ll be just as good in behind.”

With Green already looking ahead to Sires’ Stakes races and derbies for Lincoln Wave, Turner’s prediction that “he’s going to win a few more I think’’ would have to be the understatement of the century.

His other partners in the horse, John and Lynne Street, Ian Middleton and Paul Wyatt, need no convincing of that.

Johnny Lincoln narrowly staves off Mr Miki and Fifth And Final to win the Metro Final. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.Johnny a real slugger

The even bigger partnership behind Johnny Lincoln would have delighted in Green’s description of the three-year-old after he outslugged a good line-up to bag the Metro Final winner’s purse of $19,250.

Taking a neck and neck photo finish over Mr Miki and Fifth And Final, Johnny Lincoln clocked a slick 2:42.2 after doing plenty of work in the running.

“He’s a warrior,” Green said. “If you were in a bar room brawl, you’d want him standing next to you.”

Delany credited driver Andre Poutama with much of the success, pointing to his two wins and a second record behind the horse in only three drives.

“Andre’s done a great job on him, he gets on really well with the horse.”

But it was far from an armchair drive for Poutama who used the horse from his wide gate draw and was stuck in the breeze until Princess Of Savoy came at the bell to give him cover.

Poutama said he took off a little earlier than usual, seeing McKendry sitting pat in the trail on Amazing Captain, and the horse didn’t manage the final bend that well.

“He was getting tired near the finish - I was looking for the post and it was still 100 metres away - but he really dug in.”

Green said it was no surprise that the Lather Up gelding was finding new depths to his courage.

“This family is part of our DNA at Lincoln Farms. He’s out of a Ima Megastar, a daughter of Lincoln’s Megastar, who was a full sister to Sir Lincoln.”

Sir Lincoln remains the all-time best performer for Lincoln Farms with his 21 wins, an Auckland Cup and $544,239 in earnings.

Hoping Johnny can keep the money rolling in like Sir Lincoln are his owners John and Lynne Street, Middleton, Green, the Four Legs Syndicate, Duncan Chisholm and Kathy James, the Athenry syndicate and the estate of Margaret Rabbitt.