Leo Lincoln thumps a strong Metro Final field at Auckland, pacing under 2:40 for the 2200m. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.
Leo poised to roar again - he looks a ratings special at Cambridge on Thursday night
By Barry Lichter • 3 March 2026
Forget Leo Lincoln’s form line of 5888 - he looks a ratings special at Cambridge on Thursday night.
The five-year-old meets only five rivals in the sixth race, in an event for R42 to R49 horses, but sneaks into the field as a R53 with the junior claim of co-trainer Nathan Delany.
It’s been 10 months since Leo Lincoln had such an easy kill, when he scored a brace at Manawatu. And he was a rating 58 when he downed a strong R45 to R60 line-up in a $35,000 Metro Final at Auckland in July, pacing 2:39.9 for the 2200 metres.
He’s dropped five rating points since and in his two runs back this campaign have been in vastly superior line-ups.
Last time in a R54 to R65, he had to contend with up-and-comer Doo You Want Me and fresh-up he was pitted against the likes of Sooner The Bettor (R90), Better Knuckle Up and Rubira.
Delany says Leo Lincoln will strip a lot fitter on Thursday night and he rates him a good winning chance.
“He’s been racing open class horses and this is a huge drop back for him.”
Stablemate Lincoln Lover’s form line of 221153 might look better on paper but he’s been racing horses rated in the 30s and low 40s.
“Lincoln Lover’s doing a good job, and he ran home well last time at Cambridge, but Leo is definitely the pick of ours.”
Lincoln Lover’s last start third was four and three-quarter lengths behind Barbarossa in his helter-skelter 2200 metres, when he was hitting the wheels and ran a middle half in an extraordinary 55.5. But to his credit he was only half a head behind the heavily punted Soul Artist.
Lincoln Maree winning at Manawatu last December. PHOTO: Jack McKenzie/Race Images.Instructions to lead
Delany believes Lincoln Maree can go one better in the amateur race, with very specific instructions to be delivered to driver Frank Phelan.
“Frank drove a nice race on her last time, doing a bit of work early before leading and trailing, but I think the result might have been different if she’d led all the way.”
While she finished well up the passing lane, Lincoln Maree was nutted late into second by Commander Lincoln.
“She has no speed, she’s better in front and rolling, so this week we’ll tell Frank to go forward and to not hand up.”
Delany’s own horse The Night Fox has been saddled with another poor draw in the fourth race but, with a little luck, he believes he can still be very competitive for Harrison Orange.
You can put the line straight through The Night Fox’s last run at Auckland when he drew nine, ended up completely buried on the markers and was full of running in the stretch when Mr Miki galloped in front of him and KOed him into a gallop.
“Harry said he felt like he could have won with a decent draw so we’ll just put the race behind us.
“I wouldn’t say this field is any harder. It depends on how the race pans out but I think he can still win.
“It will be intersting to see what the ones in the front of us do. We might end up one-out and four-back but that’s still better than four deep on the fence.”
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
