Lincoln’s Command’s gets late call-up at Eagle Farm and new trainer Ben expects a good run

Beaudesert trainer Ben Ahrens was phoning round this morning for a lightweight rider after Lincoln’s Command got in off the ballot for the last race at Eagle Farm today.

Ahrens, who has taken over the training of Lincoln’s Command from Marburg’s Al Barnes, opted to run at Eagle Farm, rather than Toowoomba, where he was also entered, to take advantage of the roomier track.

And he says while the field is a little stronger than Lincoln’s Command has met in his last few starts, he’s expecting him to run well.

“It’s a bit tricky finding guys who can ride at 54kg and we may end up claiming 2kg with a lightweight in Jackson Murphy.”

Ben Ahrens … happy with what he’s seen so far of Lincoln’s Command.Murphy was last season’s leading Queensland apprentice but was sidelined for three months after damaging ligaments in his hand in a fall at Doomben last December.

“I’m flying a bit blind because I’ve had the horse for less than two weeks but he seems to have settled in well and we’ve had no bumps in the road with him. He’s not scratchy in his action and his blood this morning was good.”

Barnes, who did the early rehab work on Lincoln’s Command after he was diagnosed with a stifle problem in Sydney, sent the horse to Ahrens to give him every chance to show he was worth persevering with.

“He’s done two pieces of faster work and I’ve been happy with him. I expect him to run a good race. I’d be disappointed if he put in a shocker.

“When you get up over distance here it can come down to luck in the running. The staying races are a bit average compared to the sprints and he seems a lovely horse with good staying ability so, fingers crossed, he should be competitive.”

Lincoln’s Command tackles a A$35,000 class one event over 1845 metres, a distance which should allow him to get into the action late from a very wide draw.

In his last start for Barnes, over 1700 metres at Ipswich on October 24, he ran an improver’s fourth at long odds, held up until 200 metres out.

“This race will give us a good measure on where he’s at - on the big track he should have no real excuses.”

Lincoln’s Command races at Eagle Farm at 7.52pm NZ time today.