Our former pin-up boy Trojan Banner earns headlines at The Meadowlands with 1:51 mile
By Barry Lichter • 16 June 2020
Former Lincoln Farms pacer Trojan Banner has made a great start to a new campaign by winning in his first attempt at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
In just his fourth start in the States since being sold out of Al Barnes’ Queensland stable, Trojan Banner (yellow wheels) unleashed a big sprint in the home stretch to nail the former Tony Herlihy-trained Italian Delight on the wire.
In a tight three-way finish, Trojan Banner was credited with a 1:51 flat mile, after reeling off his last 400 metres in 26.6.
Champion driver Tim Tetrick drove a perfect race on the Bettor’s Delight four-year-old, starting from three on the gate and slotting him into fifth possie as Italian Delight streaked to the early lead for Andrew McCarthy.
Tetrick manoeuvred into the one-one at the three-quarters mark then eased out to make his run after hot favourite Thinkbig Dreambig in the stretch.
Trojan Banner showed all the fight which saw him rack up seven straight wins for Barnes in Queensland, and brought his US record to four starts for two wins and a third for US$23,035 in stakes.
The only time he has been out of the money was at his previous start in March when he ran a big fourth in 1:49.4, as rank outsider, in a US$50,000 Invitational at Dover Downs.
Trojan Banner is now trained by Jim King jun., for Richard Poillucci and Jo Ann Looney-King.
Former Kiwis Runrunjimmydunn and The Bettormack, who were both trained here by Bunty Hughes, ran seventh and eighth.
Earlier in the night, another Lincoln Farms export from Queensland, Billy Lincoln, ran a fine US debut fourth from eight on the gate, ripping home in 26.4 behind the red hot favourite Moneyman Hill, in the hands of Kiwi star Dexter Dunn.
Billy Lincoln racked up three wins and three seconds from only seven starts for Barnes before his sale last November.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 2: Colonel Lincoln
5.23pm
“He’s come through his two runs well and we can be bolder with him from a front row draw.”
Race 2: Sugar Ray Lincoln
5.23pm
“He’s in good shape and you can’t fault what he’s doing. I don’t think the (seven) draw should make a lot of difference - he’s been parked in his last two and still got money. You wouldn’t take a trifecta without putting him in.”
Race 2: Leo Lincoln
5.23pm
“He’s racing really well and just needs a bit of luck from the second row. He’s trained on well and should go well again. ”
Race 4: Rivergirl Bella
6.27pm
“She only has a little sprint but, if she doesn’t have to do too much, she can get home well.”
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.27pm
“She’ll win a race or two, and will get one soon as she’s honest, but she’s still very green. And to be fair to her, she hasn’t had a decent enough run where you can really judge her yet.”
Race 8: Lincoln Wave
8.38pm
“Based on the draws, Sammy looks a better chance than Lincoln Wave. Not many win from out there, especially in a Group I race. But I suppose he had a similar draw at Cambridge (six) and got lucky (squeezing into the trail when Nymbal broke) so you never know what can happen. It won’t be easy for him but it would be nice to see him get a good trip as I think he’ll handle the 2700 metres as well as the others.”
Race 8: Sammy Lincoln
8.38pm
“If he can hold up, that would be marvellous as if anything can give Jumal a fright, it’s him. I know he’s still a maiden but he’s better than most of them ability-wise. He’s a classy big bugger who is very fast and if he ends up on Jumal’s back he’d be dangerous. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the fray as he has such a lot of ability.”
Rac e 10: Prince Lincoln
9.37pm
“If the real Prince Lincoln turned up he’d be in the money, but you never know with him.”
