Lincoln La Moose (Peter Ferguson) is cruising, untouched at Manawatu today. PHOTO: Jack McKenzie.
Nate’s trip south to Palmy well worth it as Lincoln La Moose makes it two for the stable
By Barry Lichter • 25 February 2025
Nathan Delany … on a roll.It was mission accomplished for Lincoln Farms’ co-trainer Nate Delany when Lincoln La Moose scored a powerful win at Manawatu this afternoon.
The triumph, combined with Onyx Shard’s first night win, saw the stable score with both horses it sent south for the meeting, winning cheques of $14,800.
The tally was boosted even further when Lincoln Farms’ worker Craig Sharpe trained Proviseur to a win and second at the meeting, earning $8100.
The successes continued a hot run for Delany, just two months into his new partnership with Ray Green, after the pair trained four winners at Auckland last Friday night.
A $7.20 divvy after a confident prediction from Ray Green.“I don’t know why we don’t come down here more often,” said Delany after Lincoln La Moose showed courage to score by four and a half lengths for Peter Ferguson despite working hard in the early stages.
“He did a bit of work, crossing from the outside of the gate, and was three wide round the first turn,” Delany said.
Crucially, when Lincoln La Moose found the front, he steered a lot better than on the first night when, despite hanging, he still finished strongly for third.
Green and Delany made some key gear changes for today, fitting a Murphy blind and rein burr, Ferguson sure they made the difference.
“He was getting in real bad on Sunday but Fergie said today he steered well, did everything right, and jogged it. He didn’t pull the plugs or turn his stick.”
An $8.50 return after Green signalled crucial gear changes.Lincoln La Moose has now won three of his 20 starts for John and Lynne Street, the Red and Blue syndicate, the Green Machine Syndicate, Glenn and Ann Cotterill and Ian Middleton.
Onyx Shard scores her first night win for Nathan Delany. PHOTO: Race Images.Middleton and his two buddies Paul Humphries and Ian Harris went close to scoring a double with Onyx Shard who was run down only late one race earlier.
Delany found the front relatively easily from three but wasn’t helped by the attentions of Jahi mid-race and, despite skipping clear turning for home, had no answer to the late challenge by the trailing favourite Ha’penny.
But there was only half a length in it at the line with the 2000 metres run in 2:29.1, more than four seconds faster than Onyx Shard paced the first night.
The trio were still happy to see Onyx Shard back to her best after some indifferent form since winning her maiden at Cambridge on Grins night in April, 2023.
Followers of Green’s pre-race predictions on www.lincolnfarms.co.nz cleaned up on both days, Onyx Shard paying $7.20 on Sunday and Lincoln La Moose $8.50 today.
More news in Harness
Prince Lincoln spearheads record-sized team for Lincoln Farms at Cambridge on Friday
Ray cautions punters with no lead this time for Jekyll and Hyde colt Prince Lincoln
Two (not so) secret weapons help Lincoln Farms to $29,287 payday at Cambridge
Deb dresses her latest ‘Copy’ weanling in white and he delivers a Major coup
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
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.”
