Nate looking for more Fergy magic to cap successful two months at Manawatu

Co-trainer Nathan Delany is looking for a big finale on Thursday night as Kevin Kline, Leo Lincoln and Onyx Shard wrap up a fruitful couple of months racing at Manawatu.

With two winners and a third on Tuesday, the Lincoln Farms trio boosted its prizemoney haul from the CD since February 23 to $63,840.

Seven wins and 11 placings between Kevin Kline, Onyx Shard, Lincoln La Moose, Leo Lincoln and Whats Up The Hill have made the expeditions south from Pukekohe well worthwhile.

“We’ve definitely been having a good run at Manawatu, getting away from racing the top guns at Auckland. With good stakes and a good track now you can’t fault it.”

But with the CD season going into hibernation this week until November, Delany is hoping for a final hurrah, especially with Kevin Kline in the third race.

Peter Ferguson has driven six winners for Lincoln Farms at Manawatu in the last two months.The improving three-year-old won his third race on Tuesday, thanks to a typically savvy drive by Peter Ferguson, who pulled back from the second row to find clear air and launched round the field to take the lead from stablemate Onyx Shard and Delany after 700 metres.

“I thought I had him covered when we got to the straight because Onyx Shard was really travelling but he kicked away on us,” Delany said.

Crucially, Kevin Kline, though rehandicapped six rating points to 54kg, faces the same rivals on Thursday night, the race conditions stipulating he would still be eligible for the same grade.

And Delany doubts moving out to seven on the gate will inconvenience Kevin Kline, whom he labels as Lincoln Farms’ best of the night again.

“He’s done a good job when you see how far he’s come this campaign and he definitely deserves a bit of a break when we get back home as he’s only a three-year-old.”

In a 17-start campaign, the Always B Miki gelding has put away $38,055 from three wins, five seconds and two thirds for his big team of owners who include Lincoln Farms’ principals John and Lynne Street, Jason Deane, Brent Mulholland, Priscilla Edmunds, Lance Myocevich, Trevor Casey, the Red and Blue Syndicate, Ray Menzies, Dave and Daphne Jones and Margaret Rabbitt.

Delany believes Onyx Shard, again drawn favourably in two, can get some money again the way she fought on for third on Tuesday, just half a neck from runner-up Terrormylove.

“It would be nice if she can get out of the gate as well again - she has good gate speed.”

Leo Lincoln leads all the way to down Rough And Ready on Tuesday. PHOTO: Peter Rubery/Race Images.Leo Lincoln was another to benefit from a great Fergy drive on Tuesday, gear changes helping him make a fleet beginning to lead all the way in the Country Cup.

It was Ferguson’s sixth win for Lincoln Farms at Palmerston North in the last two months and one of his best exhibitions.

With his foot down all the way, Ferguson made it impossible for the better backed runners to get into the race, rewarding his followers with an $8.50 win dividend.

Leo Lincoln recorded a slick mile rate of 2:00.4 for the standing 2000 metres, with closing sectionals of 57.9 and 29.1.

While Leo Lincoln goes back to a 10 metre handicap in the fifth race on Thursday, the same mark as first night stand-fluffing favourite Iron Brigade, Delany believes it might actually help him.

“He’ll be hard to beat again if he steps like he did on Tuesday. I think he’s even better if he follows something and the extra 500 metres shouldn’t worry him.”

The four-year-old Art Major gelding’s win on Tuesday was his fifth from 37 starts and along with 13 placings he has now banked $69,615 for the Streets, co-trainer Ray Green, Ian Middleton, Glenn and Ann Cotterill and Phil Kelly.