Impressive Lincoln Raider on the radar of overseas buyers

Huge money is being talked about for Lincoln Raider and his price tag could just go up if he wins again, as expected, at Awapuni on Thursday.

Lincoln Farms’ business manager Ian Middleton started fielding calls from overseas the day after the O’Reilly four-year-old turned in the run of the day at Trentham on October 27, unleashing a burst from the rear that had to be seen to be believed.

Bottled up at the back 500 metres from home, Tim Johnson found the gaps in the run home and Lincoln Raider really responded, gathering in the leaders late to win, going away, by one and a quarter lengths.

“We received approaches from both Australia and Hong Kong after the race and discussions are still continuing,’’ says Middleton.

On the back of the frenzy of large offers which came for classy three-year-old Lincoln Falls earlier this year, when $1 million was the benchmark, the latest moves undermine the strength of horseflesh that Lincoln Farms has at present with Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta, who has six horses entered at her local meeting on Thursday.

Lincoln Raider is clearly the best of them in the sixth race, carrying 59kg, half a kilo less than he had at Trentham. He goes up only slightly in class, from a rating 65 race to a rating 72, in an event where he looks to have few genuine threats.

Latta reports the horse has thrived since his last start and she is quite comfortable keeping him to another run at 1400 metres before stepping up to 1600 metres, the distance of some much bigger New Year targets.

“He has a nice draw to use in six and he has trained on very well. I could not be happier with how he is looking and working.’’

Lincoln Raider’s whirlwind finish at Trentham was the second time in as many starts this season that he has caught the eye.

First-up at Hastings, he made up a huge amount of ground from the home turn, where he was bumped wide, to run fourth, just 1.3 lengths behind winner Blondlign.

Lincoln Melody scores easily fresh-up at Otaki. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.Latta rates Lincoln Melody in the second race as her next best chance.

The Savabeel four-year-old created a good impression when she scored an upset win fresh-up at Otaki last month over 1600 metres, a distance well short of her best.

That was her first race since March, when she ran in the 2400 metre New Zealand Oaks, and she gets out to 2100 metres on Thursday.

“She has come up with a little bit of an awkward draw (nine of 10) but Tim (Johnson) will hopefully be able to slot in midfield. She is a mare with ability but I do expect her to be better in the autumn.

“She’s better on a dead track but they’ve been watering the track so it shouldn’t be rock hard.’’

Ajay Lincoln … needs a scratching but has real ability and has never stopped improving. PHOTO: Royden Williams.Ajay’s long-awaited debut

Latta is hoping to get a scratching in the fourth race so Ajay Lincoln can make his long awaited debut.

Drawn five, the Sebring three-year-old has had a number of delays to his career, after falling quite sick as a two-year-old then getting a stone bruise last month when primed to go.

Latta’s opinion of Ajay Lincoln is reflected by the fact he originally held a 2000 Guineas nomination and, while his official trial record might not look that impressive, with several unplaced runs over 1000 metres on wet ground, it hides some pretty pleasing efforts.

* At Foxton on September 18 he got home very strongly, prompting Latta to label it a “particularly good trial.”

* And last time at Otaki on October 30, after missing work with his stone bruise, he ran home well for fourth, again doing his best work late.

“I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t make the field,’’ says Latta.

“He has drawn well at five and this will be a good starting point for him. He has continued to improve and is going to get up over more ground in time.’’

Tim Johnson … rides four of Lincoln Farms’ six runners at Awapuni - Lincoln Raider, Lincoln Melody, Lincoln’s Secret and Platinum Invador.Platinum Invador gets a start in the same race, albeit from a bad draw of 13. It will be his first start since he debuted with a fourth on a heavy track in July.

“He is a horse that is going to get over ground so as long as he is doing his best work late I will be happy.’’

Latta says she won’t be asking Johnson to rush Platinum Invador forward.

“He’ll have to see how the horse jumps but we’ve done a lot of work trying to teach him to settle and he is better ridden back.’’

Lincoln’s Secret (race 9) is another fresh-up runner tackling 1550 metres, a trip well short of his best.

Lincoln’s Secret broke maidens at his fourth run last prep over 2050 metres and Latta expects him to be hitting the line well.

“He turned in a much better run at the jumpouts last Wednesday on a good track but I couldn’t see him running in the money. He will get up over ground later.’’

Lincoln Bay, co-topweight in the eighth race, resumes after a four month spell, having shown little in his last two preps.

“He’s at an age (six) where he needs to stand up,’’ says Latta. “He showed a lot earlier on but has had a minor wind operation and a few other problems and as he’s got older they’ve got nigglier.

“He wants rain but he won’t get it and we need to kick him off somewhere.

“His jumpouts and trials have been quite disappointing but from a nice draw and in not an overly strong field you would expect he could show something.’’