Lincoln Falls, the million dollar horse robbed of his chance to be a star by injury

It’s all over for Lincoln Falls, the horse a million dollars could not buy.

Not quite four years after he was unleashed on the racetrack with a spectacular debut, Lincoln Falls ran his last race at Wanganui last Saturday, just the 12th of his injury-plagued career.

Trainer Lisa Latta had been expecting a big effort from the six-year-old son of Dundeel, all the signs good that he had recovered well from a second tendon injury.

But even majority owners John and Lynne Street could read the writing on the wall when he finished last, showing none of the brilliant turn of foot that once had agents falling over each other, making mind-blowing offers.

While the horse pulled up fine, the next morning Latta detected heat in his tendon, which was slightly swollen.

Johnathan Parkes rode Lincoln Falls in his first two wins. PHOTO: Peter Rubery/Race Images.“We got the vet to run a scanner over it and there’s definitely the beginning of a hole again in the tendon.”

John Street said he knew something must be wrong after two lacklustre runs since the horse resumed from a 15-month spell, during which time he had stem cell therapy.

“He must have been looking after himself. It’s the same leg again and the vet said there was no way we could carry on with him.”

In three previous attempts at bringing back horses from tendon injuries Lincoln Farms had had only one success. But Street was encouraged to try again because veterinary opinion was that because the injuries had been discovered early before any significant damage, the horse had a good chance of recovery.

“It was only because he looked like being such a good horse that we kept going,” Street said.

“He could have been a million dollar horse for us but you’ve just got to bite the bullet. You have to be resilient in this game.”

Street still has the 2018 letter from Australian Mick Price offering him $1.2 million for the horse after two impressive trials.

“But it’s my hobby and I like to enjoy racing good horses.”

Lincoln Falls raced just 12 times for three wins and $65,975. PHOTO: Peter Rubery.Street said he had sold plenty of promising horses - and made good money out of them - “but at my age there’s no point having a million dollars in the bank and no good horses.”

Lincoln Falls, a $200,000 ready-to-run buy, promised to be just that for the Streets early in his career, when he captured headlines, winning two of his first three starts.

But a tendon injury in August, 2019, on the eve of his first start as a four-year-old, put paid to that.

Extensive rehab by Bryce Newman and Latta saw Lincoln Falls make a stunning return in December, 2020, when he rocketed home to win at Awapuni.

But one start later and his tendon went again on the eve of a tilt at the Douro Cup at Trentham.

Street says he feels for his partners in Lincoln Falls, too, as a career tally of three wins and $65,975 fell well short of their hopes.

The Streets raced the horse with Taupo Pak ’N Save supermaket owner Chris Grace and his Sixforsixty syndicate, which included his stepson Jamie Ireton and five mates.

Grace took the news philosophically and thanked both Latta and the Streets for offering them the opportunity to be involved.

“It was always on the cards that he wouldn’t heal 100% so we move on.”

Latta said she would do rehab on Lincoln Falls for a month or so.

“Then hopefully he can go to a place like Cambridge’s EventStars and find a good home.”