Lincoln Wave powers to the line on debut at Alexandra Park on Friday night. PHOTO: Megan Liefting/Race Images.
Lincoln Wave super and Sammy Lincoln super unlucky - two three-year-olds worth following
By Barry Lichter • 24 January 2026
You could have forgiven co-trainer Ray Green for any what-might-have-beens after Lincoln Wave’s decisive debut win at Auckland on Friday night.
But Green and his partner Nathan Delany are only looking ahead with the powerful colt, derby aspirations now replacing what could so easily have been two-year-old riches.
“We’ve waited a while for that,” said Green after the Downbytheseaside colt spanked his rivals, leading all the way and cruising home by two and three-quarter lengths.
“He could have done that six months ago and I was pretty confident either he or Sammy Lincoln would win, they’re both classy horses.”
Lincoln Wave looked set to make his mark in the early two-year-old Young Guns series 12 months ago when Green’s wife Debbie detected some filling in one of his legs.
Scans and X-rays detected a roughened appearance of the two sesamoid bones that sit at the back of the fetlock joint, the warning signs of sesamoiditis.
“If we’d pressed on, we could have risked it all so we did the right thing by him and turned him out for a long spell.”
Great horseman and educator Maurice McKendry behind Lincoln Wave.Lincoln Wave came back stronger and coltier, pushing the patience of Lincoln Farms’ stable workers.
“He knows he’s a colt - he thinks he rules the roost - but we let him get away with a bit of bullshit as it keeps him brave.”
But, as driver Maurice McKendry found out on Friday night, Lincoln Wave might be stroppy but he has a lot to learn.
“He doesn’t know what he’s doing yet,” McKendry said.
“He’s green as, but he had plenty left.”
And McKendry is just the man to extract the best from the three-year-old, Green declaring he’s the right person to turn Lincoln Wave into a racehorse.
“Maurice is a great horseman - he educates them - and once he’s driven them a few times, they really come to it.
“We’ll just keep poking him out there - he should win again next week - and I’m pretty sure we’ll see him and Sammy Lincoln in the Sires’ Stakes and derbies later in the season.”
John Street gives Friday night’s trophy to one of his partners in Lincoln Wave, ATC steward Phil Kelly.That statement was warmly received by the Lincoln Wave partnership of Lincoln Farms owners John and Lynne Street, their business manager Ian Middleton, ATC stewards David Turner and Phil Kelly, and Paul Wyatt.
The crew behind Sammy Lincoln were also buzzing after he finished a very unlucky third behind his stablemate.
The big Always B Miki gelding was wiped out on the first turn when Everndon’s driver Tony Cameron shifted in on him, checking him into a break and locking wheels.
Back in the running and held up in traffic turning for home, Sammy Lincoln made up excellent ground for driver Harrison Orange when clear.
More news in Harness
Rivergirl Bella finally delivers - and Phil kicks himself for not being there or having a punt
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
Update: Scratched
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
