Showy black Lincoln’s Kruz looking fantastic and ready to fly in the Pegasus on Saturday

Lincoln’s Kruz might surprise a few at Riccarton on Saturday even though he’s one of the outsiders in the $80,000 Pegasus Stakes.

Trainer Lisa Latta knows there are a few better performed runners in the 1000 metre dash on the first day of the cup carnival but she says she could not be happier with her charge.

“I think he looks really well placed in this field,” says Latta.

“We know he operates well over 1000 metres and he’ll be back on decent footing.”

Latta says you can put the line through Lincoln Kruz’s tailend finish at Hastings when assessing his chances, which the bookies rate at $16.

“He never goes any good fresh, or at Hastings, or on a heavy track but there were no other races around for him.”

The campaign opener had served its purpose though, bringing the horse on after two trials.

“I’m really happy with him. He looks absolutely fantastic and is a lot stronger this year.”

With a nice draw of four and a light weight of 53kg, down 7kg on last start, Latta says she can see Lisa Allpress sitting fourth or fifth just in behind the pace.

“I could definitely see him surprising. I’m not worried about him being slow out last time.”

Two of Lincoln’s Kruz’s four wins have been at 1000 metres, a trip that suits him because of the quicker tempo, says Latta.

“He does tend to over-race at times.”

The showy black arrived in Christchurch on Wednesday afternoon after a 12 and a half hour trip from Awapuni and host Andrew Carston reported he came off the float beautifully and tucked straight into his feed.

With good drying weather predicted in Christchurch until raceday, and the club even looking at irrigating the course today, all signs were for a perfect surface on Saturday.

“Providing he measures up on Saturday he’ll back up in the Stewards on the last day. But even if he isn’t quite up to the Pegasus field, which I think he is, there’s a rating 75 1200 metre race that day worth $60,000 that would suit him.”