Hayden Barnes and Larry Lincoln (1) get up on the post to nail brother Brendan on the favourite Royal Aurora. Master Catch is third.
Proud dad Al watches as his sons Hayden and Brendan fight it out, Larry taking line honours
By Barry Lichter • 27 February 2021
“I really like this horse. I wish there were another half dozen like him I could get from New Zealand.”
Trainer Al Barnes wasn’t holding back on the superlatives after Larry Lincoln won his seventh race from only 17 starts in Brisbane for Lincoln Farms tonight.
“He’s the perfect little racehorse. He’s got that high speed.”
Larry Lincoln provided Barnes with the perfect climax to a terrific month at Albion Park which has seen Larry win twice and Lincoln Farms stablemates Northview Hustler and Bondi Shake also salute the judge for a monthly haul of $33,000.
And he admitted to a sense of pride watching one son Hadyen get Larry up in a driving finish to nose out his other son Brendan on the favourite Royal Aurora.
Larry Lincoln clocked a mile rate of 1:54.7 for the 1660 metres, sprinting home in 55.5 and 27.2, but Barnes says he can hardly wait for the horse to progress even further up the grades.
“He’s won two metro races now but when he gets into free-for-alls and they go a bit quicker, running 1:53 and 1:52, he’ll be even better. We’ll be able to put him on the fence and he’ll come from off the speed and earn a cheque every week.”
The official margin was a head in favour of Larry Lincoln.The little prizefighter who has now earned A$41,782 since arriving in Queensland, sat in the trail the entire way, a plan Barnes hatched to take out of play what he considered his main danger, the Grant Dixon-trained Master Catch.
“The horse who could beat us was the one behind us in the running and, when we took a sit instead of leading, it put him three deep and out of the race. I love it when a plan comes off like that.”
Barnes said Larry Lincoln was really feeling good, even after the race when he was “prancing and carrying on” while being walked.
While Barnes has expressed interest in buying the horse from Lincoln Farms, whose business plan favours selling all the stock it sends to Queensland, his hopes of putting together a syndicate had come to nothing so far despite plenty of interest.
“I’d love to buy him. He’s so easy to do anything with and he’s improving all the time.”
The Sweet Lou - Yolo gelding, who won by a head, paid $2.90 on the tote, drifting out to start only second favourite despite his super impressive win a week earlier.
More news in Harness
Spiritual Bliss and Lincoln Maree add to Lincoln Farms’ gallery of Manawatu heroes
Video clue on why Lincoln Lover is tipped to go boldly fresh-up at Auckland on Friday night
A picture of Bliss but poor Harry’s arms were nearly pulled out of their sockets
Ultra-consistent Kevin Kline sold to the United States: Why Ray’s sorry to lose him
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.25pm
“She won well on the first day but pulled very hard - Harry said his arms were that tired afterwards he couldn’t have lifted a 1kg dumb bell. She’s meeting a few nice ones here, up in grade, but she’s drawn better so you can’t count her out. She tries hard and really digs in.”
Race 7: Lincoln Downs
7.50pm
“She did everything right on Tuesday but she blew heavily afterwards and I think the heat got to her. She’s a place chance if she recovers OK.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.22pm
“She was jumping shadows on Tuesday and moves to the last race this time but she’s not the most genuine so I’m not holding my breath.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.28pm
“He hasn’t raced for three months but trialled really well. I pick he’s going to win one pretty quickly and, given he’s been running against the best two-year-olds in his previous preps, it should really be on Friday night. This lot of maidens aren’t in the same class and he’s as honest as they come, a tough little trier.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s really up against it from the outside of the second line, with all the favourites drawn well. She has to be the unluckest animal on the planet. With her, what can go wrong will. Even at the best of times you need a reasonable draw to figure but drawn in the bondocks here she’ll need incredible luck.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.09pm
“He had a short break while some vet work was done but is in good trim. Yes, there are a few in here that are vastly higher rated but his formline says it all - it’s not often he doesn’t get a cheque.”
Race 8: Tyson
9.09pm
“He was a bit unlucky last week that he didn’t get to them a bit sooner otherwise I think he would have won. Maurice said he thought they’d come back to him more, going 2:39 speed, but his closing sectionals were easily the best in the race.”
Race 10: Prince Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s grown into a beautiful horse, a quality looking colt, and who knows what he could be. He’ll obviously improve with the run but I still expect him to run well from his good draw. He trialled very well behind a good one.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly in seven, which gives Prince Lincoln the edge, but he too was making good ground in the workout.”
