The Lincoln Wave secret is well and truly out now, but who was that mystery underbidder?

The notes in Debbie Green’s sale catalogue put lot 51 squarely in the sights of Lincoln Farms’ owner John Street.

“Lovely quiet colt, short arse, HUGE shoulder, left front foot slightly boxy” were scribbled in the margins around the page.

Street planned to buy only two or three yearlings at Saturday’s New Zealand Bloodstock yearling sale at Karaka but the Downbytheseaside colt was definitely one of them.

But long before the horse won favour with Street’s trusted sale scout, her trainer husband Ray Green had been telling him about how promising his two-year-old brother was.

Lincoln Wave (Nathan Delany), the full brother to lot 51, is shaping up as a real talent. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.Lincoln Wave was Lincoln Farms’ ‘little secret’, only a few aware of the speed their previous year’s $62,500 buy was showing in training.

Just like Debbie Green stole My Copy for $3000 as a weanling, before his older brother, subsequent dual New Zealand Cup winner Copy That had won a race, the camp hoped to snare Lincoln Wave’s little bro for unders.

Given his smart looks, and the fact former champ Gold Ace was high up in his pedigree, Street expected to have to pay about $50,000. But it wasn’t long before the bidding raced past that mark and when the persistent, unseen buyer called $100,000, Street’s limit had been reached.

But Street threw in one last bid at $110,000 and when the hammer came down, at the exact moment when his rival found the courage to bid again, albeit a fraction of a second too late, the colt was his.

“I wouldn’t have gone again,” Street said. “He was already over our limit.”

Intrigued by who had been bidding against them, Debbie Green had a look over the balcony of the sale arena only to discover leading driver Maurice McKendry below.

John Street signs for lot 51 after being pushed to $110,000.McKendry was the only one outside of Lincoln Farms’ inner sanctum who had experienced first hand the ability of Lincoln Wave, having driven him in his winning workout on January 5, when he easily dispatched stablemates Lincoln Dealer and Lincoln Lover.

McKendry, who knows what a good horse feels like having driven 3411 winners, trains for successful owner Gerald Shand, and was of course perfectly entitled to bid on the horse but the discovery had the Lincoln Farms crew chuckling.

Street might have gone a little over budget but he said the horse was already well on the way to being partnered up. With Lincoln Wave resting after a little paddock injury, two of his owners Phil Kelly and David Turner immediately called in to take shares.

A few minutes later, when Debbie Green went down with co-trainer Nathan Delany to the barn to inspect their purchase, the colt’s future stable name was set.

Woodlands Stud’s helper Danny Blakemore, noting the colt went for more than they were expecting, declared his name was Noah.

“No it’s not,” Green relied. “We’re going to call him Maurice.”

Lot 15, Copy That’s sister stands up well in the ring.Determined to bid

Long before sale day, Street had already identified one other yearling he was determined to bid on.

When he asked Debbie Green if she liked anything she saw at Woodlands Stud’s parade, the answer was decisive.

“I replied there was one I loved.”

From that moment, lot 15 was never going to go anywhere but Lincoln Farms despite the $50,000 price tag.

By American Ideal out of Lively Nights, the filly is a full sister to the now retired Copy That who won 33 races and more than $2 million under Ray Green.

Co-trainer Nathan Delany with Copy That’s sister.Lincoln Farms’ Pukekohe barn has already been home to three of Lively Night’s next four foals with mixed results.

• My Copy, Debbie Green’s $3000 weanling by Highview Tommy, went on to win seven races and $91,748 before being sold to Western Australia.
• Lincoln’s Copy, by Downbytheseaside, looked a steal at $30,000 but while he showed a lot of raw ability, trainer Ray Green, who was tipped out of the cart in the colt’s first day in the cart, said “they forgot to put any brains in him” and he was eventually given away.
• Sugar Ray Lincoln, a full brother to Copy That, has been called ‘the real deal’ numerous times in his fledgling career but while he has won three races from only 17 starts he has continued to do things wrong on the track and last month Green reluctantly gelded him.

Debbie Green, who bought Copy That for $7000 as a weanling, is keen to take 25% of the latest filly, whom she describes as being beautifully balanced, with a great walk.

“She’s ready to go, she doesn’t need to grow into anything.”

The Bettor’s Delight filly who is a sister to Lincoln Linda cost $60,000.Sister to Linda

You don’t have to look far to realise why Street paid $60,000 for Woodlands Stud’s lot 127.

The Bettor’s Delight - High Society Gal filly is a full sister to one he bought last year, Lincoln Linda, who was expected to win on debut at Alexandra Park a couple of weeks ago but wrecked her chances by jumping shadows.

Lot 21, who was originally passed in by Woodlands, also found a home at Lincoln Farms for $10,000.

By Downbytheseaside out of Maddison’s Delight, the colt is a half brother to two previous Lincoln Farms winners, the best American Dealer, who won 10 races here and in Australia before his sale to the States where he has taken a 1:49 record, won another 22 races and now banked US$817,276.

Sugar Apple, now in Western Australia, has also been a good performer, winning 14 races.

Street also paid $15,000 for another passed in lot from Woodlands, lot 12 a Bettor’s Delight filly out of Lady Antebellum.

It is the family of good winners Billy Badger, who won eight races here and another 24 in the States where he took a mark of 1:50, Jewels winner Need You Now, Hey Bartender and Always A Porsche.

* The sale moves to Christchurch on Tuesday.