Hampton Banner left Lincoln Farms’ Pukekohe property this morning bound for Perth.
Surf’s up! Hampton Banner sold to Perth and partners switch into promising babies
By Barry Lichter • 26 February 2020
Improved three-year-old Hampton Banner has been sold and flew out to Perth this morning.
The Bettor’s Delight colt, winner of three of his 10 starts for Lincoln Farms, will join the stable of Mark Lewis, son of legendary driver Chris Lewis and will be raced by the same connections who are enjoying success with former Kiwi Bill Haley.
Pukekohe trainer Ray Green said Hampton Banner, whose stablename is Surf, was sure to do a good job in Western Australia, where a number of former Lincoln Farms’ pacers have excelled.
“He’s morphed into a nice racehorse, but he’s not quite good enough to frighten the really good ones, he’s in the next tier down.
“I’m sure he could have won a few more races here but now is a prudent time to sell him.
Hampton Banner showed a terrific turn of foot in this win at Auckland earlier this month.“It was a good offer and a good business decision to sell him now. The more we raced him here the more he would have devalued.”
Green had Hampton Banner in the Northern Derby Prelude field at Auckland on Friday night, against stablemates Copy That, Tommy Lincoln and Man Of Action.
“He was good enough to be in there but not good enough to win it.”
Hampton Banner was raced by Lincoln Farms’ John and Lynne Street along with Ian Kedzlie, Dennis Ebert, Kevin and Annette Crosswell, Steve MacDonald, Robert Seebeck and Chris Prutton.
In keeping with Lincoln Farms’ policy of placing its partners in other horses after sales, all have now joined the ownership of promising two-year-olds Franco Nandor and American Dealer, who both race on Friday night.
Hampton Banner, who went through a lot of growing pains last season, won his first race at Cambridge last November and went on to win twice at Auckland, clocking a slick 2:39.3 in beating subsequent Victoria Oaks winner Dr Susan.
Two starts back he showed very high speed from last to reel in the field and win as he liked by two and a half lengths.
A brother to six-race winner Scarlett Banner, Hampton Banner is out of the Christian Cullen mare Surf And Sand and cost $60,000 as a yearling.
More news in Harness
Rivergirl Bella finally delivers - and Phil kicks himself for not being there or having a punt
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
Update: Scratched
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
