Lincoln Lou just caught and shares win but Ray says he can do better with some tinkering

Lincoln Lou might have win his last two starts but co-trainer Ray Green says he is still not racing as well as he can.

While happy enough that the colt earned $5992 when dead-heating at Auckland on Friday night, with no rating penalty, Green says he can go better.

“He should have won it outright and comfortably. He turned his head on the post and was travelling awkwardly.”

Lincoln Lou, who trailed the leader Matai Phil, looked set for another decisive win when he sprinted up the passing lane.

But driver Andre Poutama reported he had to nurse Lincoln Lou, who did not pace well over the last 600 metres, which allowed race rival Iron Brigade to reach him right on the line.

Lincoln Lou sprints up the passing lane but Iron Brigade, outer, is closing in. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.“He’s better than he’s racing lately,” Green said. “Even though he’s won his last two starts, he should really flog horses like that.

“Considering he obviously wasn’t on top of his game he went well, but he didn’t, if you get what I mean.

“Andre was happy to win but he knows he can go better.

“We’ve got a bit of repair work to do with him but these are just the little problems they present you. Hopefully we can rectify it.”

Green and his training partner Nathan Delany have three weeks to work on Lincoln Lou whose immediate target is the $200,000 Harness Millions at Auckland on March 21.

“We’ll just play it by ear whether he races again before then.”

Lincoln Lou has now had two wins and three seconds in his last six starts for John and Lynne Street and a number of their long time partners, including the Cantabrians Plus One Syndicate, the Excell Syndicate, the Green Machine Racing Syndicate, Phil Kelly, David Turner, Brad Baine, Alana Rabbitt, Margaret Rabbitt and the Athenry Syndicate.

From 19 starts, the three-year-old’s record stands at three wins and eight placings for $64,028 in stakes.

Colonel super

Later in the night, Colonel Lincoln raced out of his skin to be just pipped, despite being badly placed in the fastest class race of the night.

Taking on vastly better performed runners, Colonel Lincoln powered home from the rear with Rubira to go under by just a head and pay $6.20 for a place.

“It was a real step-up for him, no one really knew what to expect, but I couldn’t be happier.

“He got home super and it looks like he’ll measure up to those better horses. Mark (Purdon) really likes Rubira, so that’s a good yardstick.”