Good looking Leo the latest Lincoln to show promise and Ray’s in boots and all

One look at Leo Lincoln and you can see why trainer Ray Green took a share in the horse himself when Lincoln Farms set up his partnership recently.

But not only is the Art Major two-year-old a good looker, he’s showing he’s got what it takes to make it on the racetrack.

“I think he’s got a lot of potential,” says Green who lines the horse up on debut in the fifth race at Auckland on Thursday night.

Stonewall Stud might have five of the eight runners, and four of the inside draws, but Green still rates Leo a “good chance”, providing he can get a good trip.

“He’s a pretty nice little horse and I think he’ll go a good race even from seven on the gate. He’ll need a little bit of luck but he’s got speed.”

Green says Leo Lincoln will obviously benefit from the experience as he’s faced only small fields in his one workout and two trials.

“He’s been a bit slow coming to it but he seems to be heading in the right direction now.

Race night driver Zachary Butcher educates Leo Lincoln at Pukekohe. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.“We haven’t pushed him hard at any of his trials, they’ve been schooling runs, but he’s done everything we’ve asked of him.”

Leo Lincoln won in his very first workout on May 12 when, handled by racenight driver Zachary Butcher, he was too good for Stonewall Stud’s Rock Band and Carbon, who finished first and third on debut last week.

In the second of his two trials, on June 9, Leo Lincoln ran third behind Stonewall Stud’s Seaside Rose and Akatea, both rivals on Thursday, finishing just as well as his rivals on a 27.3 final quarter after being held up turning for home.

Green puts his trainer’s cap on when he says “I’ll be happy to just see him get round” on Thursday but you sense he might have a few more words of encouragement for his partners who include Lincoln Farms’ John and Lynne Street, their business manager Ian Middleton, long time owners Glenn Cotterill and his mother Ann Cotterill and Phil Kelly.

Bought as a weanling, the gelding is from a family Lincoln Farms is well familiar with. He is the second foal of Alta Valencia, a sister to Alta Intrigue who ran third for the stable in Raukapuka Ruler’s 2017 Great Northern Derby.

Alta Intrigue won four races and ran 10 seconds here before being sold to Perth where he won another 10 races.

As much as Green would love to see Leo Lincoln score on debut he rates Lincoln River the stable’s best winning chance of the night one race earlier.

Lincoln River went down by only half a head last week after enjoying a perfect trail for junior driver Andrew Drake, just failing to catch Miki Shan who got away with blue murder in front.

In a field which looks easier, if anything, he’ll need luck from his second row draw but he has aggressive driver Andre Poutama in the bike to help.

“You’d have to make him one of the favourites and if everything was fair and square he’d be our best shot of the night.

“Somebody up there doesn’t like us though as we have awful draws all night.”

Green says race rival My Copy hasn’t gone a bad race this entire preparation, mostly from dodgy draws.

“The five alley’s no better and he’ll need luck and a good trip.”

Major Achievement fares even worse at three on the second line in the second race.

“I thought he went quite well (for fifth) on debut last week after a good trip in the one-one but he’s had limited experience in big fields and will need a lot of luck.”