Spiritual Bliss notches hat-trick and pushes Lincoln Farms’ season tally to record 43

Spiritual Bliss credited Lincoln Farms with its highest season tally of 43 when she notched a notable hat-trick at Cambridge today.

And junior training partner Nathan Delany, who joined Ray Green at the start of the year, is predicting another good year ahead in 2026.

“We’ve got some nice horses coming through so I think next season will be good too,” said Delany reflecting on a sweet climax to 2025.

Not since 2020-21 has Lincoln Farms notched so many harness wins when, during an extended season, its 37 winners at home were bolstered by another 38 in Brisbane and a little pony called Copy That.

The tally puts Green and Delany 11th on the trainers’ premiership, and the sixth leading stable in the north, despite a clean-out of almost all of their older horses.

Former southerner Spiritual Bliss, who joined the stable out of the blue earlier this month, is the oldest at five, with Leo Lincoln the sole four-year-old and only four three-year-olds still on the roster.

Spiritual Bliss was the best contributor to the strong end-of-season close, winning $20,900 in her only three starts, driven each time by Harrison Orange.

And Delany believes the way she won today, augurs well for a few more wins in the Lincoln green.

“We’re scratching our heads wondering how she could have won only two of her previous 40 starts but fillies and mares especially often respond well to a change of scenery.

“The first week she was here we thought she’d had enough - she was looking to run out the gate and was swishing her tail.

“But she’s obviously got better with her work and is really starting to enjoy it.”

Delany said he was sure St Petersburg-based owner Dave Phillips “will be doing handstands” over her rejuvenated form.

“She’ll race again on December 31, when she’ll be up against Debbie Lincoln, but I think she’ll handle it. She’s very tough. She doesn’t look that strong when you’re alongside her but she’s a different horse once she gets in the cart.”

Delany said today’s head defeat of hot favourite Princess Of Savoy showed the five-year-old had more in front of her, considering her time for the 1700 metres of 2:01.8 represented a mile rate of 1:55.3.

Harrison Orange … has driven Spiritual Bliss a treat in all her three stats in the north.And, while it looked like Princess Of Savoy would easily overhaul Spiritual Bliss 150 metres out, the mare was still cruising.

“Harry said she kicked away a bit in the straight then just dropped the bit because she couldn’t see any of the other horses. She thought her job was done. But when the other horse came alongside her, she picked up the bit again.”

Best of all, Spiritual Bliss didn’t over-race in the running, like in her previous two wins at Manawatu when Orange reported she nearly pulled his arms out of their sockets.

“He said she was nice and strong on the bit, but not over-doing it.

“Harry has driven her a treat every time and he did the right thing letting her run the gate today.”

Orange rated Spiritual Bliss perfectly and they had their rivals well covered with closing sectionals of 56.8 and 27.7.

Delany said he hoped punters followed Spiritual Bliss and had a Christmas fill-up, the mare’s opening odds of $6.50 dropping to $4.50 on tote close.