Hard to fault Lincoln Star who has the form and the breeding for first middle distance test

Little professional Lincoln Star virtually picks himself as the best of Lincoln Farms’ runners at Awapuni on Boxing Day.

In Lincoln Star’s favour are:

• He is a last-start winner
• He is stepping up over ground for the first time and is bred to stay
• He will handle the track if, as expected, rain turns it slow
• And he is so beautifully mannered he can be stoked up early and still relax in the running.

Trainer Lisa Latta believes Lincoln Star’s impressive win at Awapuni last time is just the start of things to come.

“He can win another couple of races quite quickly because he just such a professional.

“You can ride him out of the gates and know he won’t pull, not like a lot of horses.

“And he will have to be used at the start from his wide draw or he’ll just end up being stuck out wide or going round behind them at the back.’’

Lincoln Star is a thorough professional. PHOTO: Race Images.Lincoln Star looked all over a horse wanting more ground when he was doing his best work at the finish over 1550 metres on December 15, running away from Original Gangster.

By champion staying sire Savabeel out of former talented staying mare Dating, Lincoln Star has raced only nine times for two wins and four placings, and will be ridden in the seventh race by Rosie Myers.

So long as the track doesn’t deteriorate, Latta’s next best chance should be Platinum Mam’selle who will be ridden by Robbie Hannam in the second race.

Platinum Mam’selle clocked 34.59, easily the fastest last 600 metres in her race at Awapuni last start when she flew from last at the 200 metre mark to get up for third, just a head and a long neck from winner All In Mana.

Platinum Mam’selle, arrowed, flies from last at the 200m but she needs reasonable footing to start.“She has come through last weekend’s run very well,’’ says Latta.

“I’ve added a tongue tie because Robbie said she was holding her breath a bit.

“I expect her to be hard to beat but if it rains on Christmas Day I probably won’t line her up. She needs a better than dead track really. Dead5 or dead6 would be just OK but any worse and she wouldn’t perform.’’

Stablemate Dreams Of Platinum has freshened up well, says Latta, since her fourth at Wanganui at the start of the month and cannot be discounted in the same race despite her plain formline.

Lincoln Fury’s good gallop

Lincoln Fury’s chance in the opening race will depend on how he gets out of the gates.

He was up against it when resuming at Awapuni last month against an open field of three-year-olds but lost all chance at the start anyway when slow away.

“He’s just so laid back this horse but if he can get away on terms he’s a chance. He galloped very well this morning.’’

Latta says it shouldn’t take long for Lincoln Fury to strike form, judging by his excellent lead-up wins at the jumpouts.

The horse won’t mind rain, says Latta.

Port Lincoln a very hard ride

Port Lincoln is big and strong and a very difficult ride. PHOTO: Royden Williams.Port Lincoln gets a major jockey change in the sixth race with Lisa Allpress replacing Tim Johnson.

But Latta says while Allpress is vastly more experienced it remains to be seen whether she can control the headstrong horse.

“Lisa’s so little and Port Lincoln is so big and strong. He’s not an easy horse to ride and that’s why I feel for Tim. He’s done a lot of work on the horse, who’s very hard - he used to buck quite badly.

“If Lisa can handle him he’s a good chance, as he hasn’t had all favours in his last few starts and he has continued to work well.’’

Port Lincoln could have gone close to winning his last start at Waipukurau with a little more luck. Buried and held up 500 metres out, he ran onto heels at the 300 metres as Johnson desperately tried to angle him out but was continually denied a gap.

Allpress will have her work cut out on Wednesday as well as Port Lincoln has again drawn badly in gate 11.

Latta was considering racing the horse at Tauherenikau on January 2 but says he is so big he is unlikely to get round the tight circuit very well.