Perfect draw and blinkers a winning recipe for Lincoln King in Dunstan Feeds Final

Trainer Stephen Marsh says he can’t fault Lincoln King in the countdown to Wednesday’s $100,000 Dunstan Championship Final - and his New Year wishes came true, at last, when the horse drew perfectly in seven.

Lincoln King ($10) has emerged as a leading chance for the 2400 metre final despite having to overcome a succession of poor barrier draws in his lead-up racing, the outside gate of 14 dictating his dropping to the rear last time at Te Rapa.

But on January 1, when the big money is up, Lincoln King will start from gate seven and, combined with the fitting of blinkers for the first time, Marsh says he should be able to race much handier for Danielle Johnson.

“I’m very happy with the draw which we desperately needed. He’s been making it hard on himself by dropping right out.

“But from there I’d like to think we can use the alley a bit. I’m not saying we’ll dig him up and be up fourth or fifth but he should be able to be midfield, or a spot closer, so he doesn’t have so much work to do.”

Stephen Marsh is enjoying a terrific season and sits second on the trainers’ premiership with 50 wins.Marsh, who lies second on the trainers’ premiership with 50 wins, says its time for Lincoln King to race more professionally, instead of just mooching along at the rear, and the blinkers should help him do that.

“He’s got away with it up ’til now but he needs to be a bit more on the ball and on the bit. He’s not the sort of horse to over-race and I’d be very surprised if he did.”

When tried with blinkers in training, Marsh says Lincoln King switched on more but wasn’t fired up, exactly what he will be looking for on raceday.

Marsh likes the fact that Lincoln King is dropping in weight, from the 60kg he lumped at Te Rapa to just 56.5kg.

“It’s a nice even field and he’ll get his chance. He’s in good nick, working well, he’s coming back to Ellerslie (where he won two starts back) and the 2400 metres is also another big tick, so he has a lot going for him.”

Marsh notes that Kya Khoob Lagti Ho ($5), who won the Te Rapa qualifier from the inside gate, has a much sticker eight gate on Wednesday and he’s hoping the extra trip might find out $2.90 favourite Swords Drawn.

Lincoln King, on the other hand, has already shown that the longer the distance the better and a repeat of his finishing burst at Ellerslie on November 30, when he downed race rivals Kya Khoob Lagti Ho (second), Joe’s Legacy (fourth) and Spring Delight (eighth) would take him close.