Little Missy Lincoln can stand up for herself in Young Guns fillies’ heat on Friday night
By Barry Lichter • 4 March 2026
Missy Lincoln might be small but she’s shown enough to convince co-trainer Ray Green that, even on debut, she’s Lincoln Farms’ best chance at Auckland on Friday night.
The Bettor’s Delight filly has nine rivals in the third heat of the Young Guns Fillies’ series, with the line-up including well bred runners from all the north’s leading stables.
How Missy Lincoln looked as a yearling when she cost $15,000.
Carter Dalgety … drives Missy Lincoln.But Missy Lincoln ($5.50 equal second favourite) has both a pedigree herself and the trial form to make Green think she’ll be very competitive.
Though she cost just $15,000 as a yearling, Missy Lincoln’s family is chock full of speedy winners - her sister Need You Now was a multiple Group I winner, Billy Badger won eight races here and another 24 in the States, Stars Tonight won eight times and only unsoundness stopped Hey Bartender from winning more than five.
And on the track, Missy Lincoln has shown her share of talent, powering home for a nose and half head third in her only trial at Pukekohe on February 24.
“She trialled super and got home in 2:00.6 mile rate,” Green said. “If she repeats that, she’ll be in the fray.”
Driven by co-trainer Nathan Delany, Missy Lincoln came from second last in the running, mounting a sweeping run to all but catch Mhai Jackie Do, Friday night’s $5 favourite who enjoyed a perfect trail throughout.
“It’s early days yet but she’s a nice, tractable filly who has drawn well in two and, based on that one trial, you’d have to give her a chance. Whether she improves off it, we’ll see.
“These early two-year-old races are always hard to predict. I just hope she gets round in one piece and gets some money. I’m sure Carter Dalgety will do a good job. He’s a smart young driver.”
Bliss will measure up
Re-invigorated mare Spiritual Bliss ($6, $1.18) meets a couple of smart rivals in Francent ($1.85) and Princess Gracy ($2.15) in the final race but Green is confident she’ll measure up.
“I don’t think any of the others stand over her. She’s a tough mare who has trained on well.
“I’d love to see her in front, she’s proven that’s where she goes best, but whether she’ll get there from four is debatable. But I’m sure she’ll go another good race.”
At her last start, over a mile, Spritual Bliss closed well for fifth in 57.4 and 28.9, sectionals not too much slower then the first three home, Sooner The Bettor, Better Knuckle Up and Rubira.
Southern mare Francent might have a poor looking formline but she has been parked in her last two starts and on her last trip to Auckland she beat Ruby Roe in the Group I Queen Of Hearts and Arafura in the Group III Northern Breeders Stakes.
Green says he isn’t holding his breath on Lincoln Farms’ two remaining runners:
“Lincoln Linda ($26, $4.20) beat a poor bunch at Cambridge and will have to step up here.
“Given the right trip, Rivergirl Bella ($51, $5.50) should finish off not too bad as she has a bit of speed but, after two runs back, she needs to improve.”
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
