Reformed filly Lincoln Linda strolls to easy win - and Ray says it won’t be her last

Lincoln Linda, a filly who was once “on the fringe of lunacy,” showed her reformed side when leading virtually all the way to score her first win at Cambridge on Thursday night.

And co-trainer Ray Green is now hoping the one-time runaway will now go on with it for her enthusiastic owners.

“She won’t be a champion but she has got ability and should win more races,” Green said.

“Once she led like that it was all over as she’s nice and relaxed when in front.”

Though she raced in a new bit at Cambridge, Green puts Lincoln Linda’s change in demeanour more down to her maturity.

“Before when she was on the fringe of lunacy she beat herself up. She was a loose cannon and just couldn’t cope mentally.

“This time in she’s a lot more relaxed and tractible so she’s able to conserve her energy. And she’s a lot stronger now.”

Having her 11th start on Thursday night, Lincoln Linda behaved in the score-up, unlike at Auckland when resuming, and when she wrestled the lead from Valerei after 400 metres she always looked in control.

Driver Peter Ferguson only had to stroll through the closing 800 metres in 59.6 to sew up the race, scoring by one and three-quarter lengths, with the 2200 metres run in a moderate 2:45.5.

“It wasn’t a stellar field but she won easily enough,” said Green who says racing left or right-handed wouldn’t make any difference to the filly.

“We’re happy to get one over the line with her and she’ll probably go back to Cambridge next start.”

The Bettor’s Delight filly, who cost $25,000 as a yearling, is out of High Society Girl, who ranks as a full sister to one of Lincoln Farms’ early good winners Chachingchaching. He won seven races here before his sale to Australia in 2015 where he won another nine, pacing a career fastest of 1:51.6 at Menangle.

While Green isn’t expecting Lincoln Linda to reach those heights, she is now in the right form to attract more of her owners on-course.

Excell syndicate members, from left, Sharon Rack, Linda Irwin Parsons and Christine Rupp toast Lincoln Linda at Cambridge.The filly is raced by Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street, their business manager Ian Middleton, Theresa Wyatt, Daphne Jones, Kim Miller and the Excell Syndicate.

On Thursday night it was left to three members of the Excell syndicate to toast their latest charge, Sharon Rack, Linda Irwin Parsons (no, the filly is not named after her) and Christine Rupp raising a glass in the hospitality room.

The win continued a 10-year run of success with Lincoln Farms by the syndicate, comprising 10 women all originally from Hunua.

Formed initially 20 years ago as a challenge to their husbands who were involved in racing syndicates, the Excell women have enjoyed plenty of success since switching from gallopers to standardbreds.

Lincoln Linda is their ninth individual harness winner with Lincoln Farms and 33rd winner in all having earlier been in partnerships with Make Way (15 wins), Spring Campaign (4 wins), Royal Lincoln (4 wins), Lincoln Lou (3 wins), Sir Tiger (3 wins), Commander Lincoln (1 win), Major Achievement (1 win) and Arden’s Horizon (1 win).