Richer targets for little bargain Missy Lincoln after commanding fresh-up Auckland win

Bargain buy Missy Lincoln will be given her chance at upcoming feature fillies’ races after her commanding fresh-up win at Auckland on Friday night.

In her first start for nearly five months, Missy Lincoln was sent straight to the front by Andre Poutama and scored, untested, by a neck over the favourite Lathered In Love.

The win prompted Lincoln Farms’ co-trainer Ray Green to confirm she would be set for two $30,000 Sires’ Stakes heats for two-year-old fillies, at Cambridge on August 21 and Auckland on September 4.

And, if Missy Lincoln continues to improve, her next logical target will be the $100,000 Caduceus Club Fillies’ Classic at Alexandra Park on September 18.

“I’m not saying she’s the best in the country but she’s shown she deserves a shot at those races,” Green said.

“She’s a quality little filly and her owners should have a lot of fun with her. I wouldn’t mind having a share in her myself.”

Raced by Lincoln Farms owners John and Lynne Street with long time clients Shannon Flay, the Athenry Syndicate, Duncan Chisholm and Kathy James, the Green Machine Racing Syndicate and Paul Wyatt, Missy Lincoln had been a proper tradesman from the get-go, Green said.

“She was always a good pacer with good manners and a little bit of speed - she just wasn’t mature enough to throw her into the fray so we had to wait a bit on her. When she first started racing she got a bit sore in places, but it was just growing pains so we gave her a big spell.”

Green and his training partner Nathan Delany saw enough from the Bettor’s Delight filly in two starts, however, to harbour hopes she would return an even better model.

Parked on debut in a Young Guns heat, she fought on for third, then backed that up with a game fourth behind some smart opposition in the Delightful Lady Young Guns Final.

“I couldn’t see any top fillies like those against her on Friday and in spite of the fact she hadn’t trialled, I couldn’t see her not being in it.”

Green, who told Lincoln Farms website readers that the filly was in sharp order for her resumption, even had a little bet himself at the $8.50 odds and was never concerned about the result after Missy Lincoln led.

“She won easily. She was getting a bit tired at the finish but that was understandable.”

Though Missy Lincoln’s overall time for the 2200 metres was a pedestrian 2:49.73, she sprinted home from the quarter in 27.8.

“And Andre never cut her loose ’til she turned in.”

Attributes of a winner

Green said Missy Lincoln had all the attributes of a winner - “There’s a bit of speed there, she’s clean-gaited, tractable, does nothing wrong and tries hard. And she’s a typical Bettor’s Delight in that she keeps improving.”

Green isn’t concerned that Missy Lincoln is quite small, citing Bettors Delight as being “like a jack rabbit” and two of his best sons, Leap To Fame and Self Assured also not big.

Appropriately, Missy Lincoln took her earnings on Friday to $14,565, just a few hundred dollars short of her purchase price.

Originally passed in at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka yearling sale, Green and Street secured her later in the day for $15,000, a steal given her pedigree.

Her dam Lady Antebellum was unraced but has produced five winners including full sister Need You Now, the 2022 NZ Aged Pacing Mare of the Year and a triple Group I winner with the 4yo Diamond, Nevele R Fillies Final and Queen Of Hearts on her CV.

Her half brother Billy Badger won eight races here and another 24 in the States, Stars Tonight won eight times and only unsoundness stopped Hey Bartender from winning more than five races.

Second dam Ann Other Porsche won twice here and 35 times in the United States and has left the talented Always A Porsche, winner of four of his nine starts, and 14-race winner Red Terror.