Rain against Miss Oahu and poor track gallop a worry with Lincoln’s Gal

Rain might have already sunk the hopes of Miss Oahu and a poor gallop this morning by Lincoln’s Gal has left trainer Lisa Latta thinking neither has much hope of winning at Hastings on Wednesday.

The Lincoln Farms’ pair are down to clash in the fourth race and before today Latta had been confident of good runs from both mares.

But the Hastings track copped 31mls of rain overnight, forcing a downgrade to a slow 7, conditions which Latta says Miss Oahu simply can’t handle.

“I’m very worried about whether to start or not.

“I couldn’t run her on anything worse than the better side of dead,’’ says Latta. “She hates it wet.’’

Latta says Miss Oahu’s only chance is that drying weather could bring the track back to a reasonable condition, in which case she would run.

Hastings has always been her favourite course - she has recorded one win and four placings from seven starts there - and she is in solid form.

At her last start, Miss Oahu finished second to Virtuoso Lad at Hastings, racing on the speed throughout.

In her previous start at Trentham she was three wide all the way on a track that was off.

Lincoln’s Gal will be ridden by Craig Grylls.Latta says she would have rated Lincoln’s Gal the better chance of the two before her work today.

“But she worked only very averagely this morning, which is not like her. The two galloped pretty evenly together last week but Lincoln’s Gal was well below par today.

“I’ll see how she pulls up before making a decision on whether to start.’’

Lincoln’s Gal, who is to be ridden by Craig Grylls, is also not a fan of wet tracks, says Latta.

“Having just the fire out would suit her.’’

In her last start at Trentham she had dead 4 conditions and ran Fibonacci to half a length, closing hard all the way to the line, and recording the fastest last 600 metres in the race of 33.1.

Before that she was also runner-up at Wairarapa where she came four wide on the home bend, led, and was collared in the last stride by Windsor despite clocking 32.14 for her last 600 metres.

With one win and seven placings from only 13 starts, she is the more progressive of the pair.

Lincoln’s Gal has really grown into a big mare, says Latta, and will be even better with more time.

The mares have some tough opposition in Wednesday’s race foremostly with the Jamie Richards’ debut winner You’re Welcome, Fraser Auret’s Dratini, Stephen Marsh’s Eridani and Sandy Dravitzki’s Euka Lady.