Lincoln Hills facing a mountain of challenges at Hastings on Saturday

A drying track, a wide gate, and a strong field make the last race at Hastings on Saturday look like mission impossible for Lincoln Hills.

While trainer Lisa Latta is happy enough with how the horse has been working, she has strong reservations about how he will handle a likely good 3 track on Saturday.

“I think he’s a dead to slow tracker and Jonathan (Riddell) thought as much the other day.

“While the 60 kilos he had to carry might have affected him too, his best form has been on tracks a lot wetter than he will strike on Saturday.”

With the track rated a dead 4 today and no rain forecast for the next three days, there won’t be any give in the ground, conditions which will favour his opposition.

Latta says the difficulty of starting from gate 11 at Hastings cannot be under-estimated.

“When they sprint at the 600 it’s just too hard at Hastings when you’re coming from a wide draw.

“We are going to have to go back from that draw and ride him quietly for luck. It looks like there’s reasonable pace in the race, which may help our cause, and hopefully he can get a nice run through them.”

Lincoln Hills had to wait until the 200 metre mark last start at Hastings to get clear air when he ran on solidly for sixth, four lengths from Burgundy Belle.

But the opposition this time is stronger and they will be going faster.

“I’m not confident at all, how could you be from that draw?”