Trojan Banner (David Butcher) goes all the way at Cambridge last week. PHOTO: FokusPhotography.
Trojan Banner and Lincoln’s Girl to get passports stamped
By Barry Lichter • 27 January 2019
Trojan Banner signed off on his New Zealand career when winning at Cambridge last Thursday.
The colt, along with stablemate Lincoln’s Girl, will fly to Australia next week to join the Queensland stable of Alistair Barnes.
And if Barnes is right, both horses should do extremely well there, says Lincoln Farms’ trainer Ray Green.
“Trojan Banner is at the stage where he’s going to struggle here,’’ says Green. “He’s not quite good enough for Auckland but he’s too good for Cambridge. And one more win and he’ll be racing against horses like Recco Lover.’’
Trojan Banner won three of his 18 starts here, earning $30,000, predominantly against very tough opposition.
His all-the-way win at Cambridge last week was his first for more than eight months but against easier company in Queensland Barnes expects him to win them in a row.
Lincoln’s Girl …won two of her nine starts here. PHOTO: Royden Williams.Lincoln’s Girl, who excels over shorter trips, won two of her nine starts, taking a mile mark of 1:56.7 at Auckland in only her third start as a two-year-old.
With a shortage of quality fillies in Queensland Barnes is also excited about her earning potential, says Green.
The pair will remain in the ownership of Lincoln Farms and its partnerships.
Barnes, helped by his partner Cassie Saunders and son Hayden, trains at Marburg, a small town 60km west of Brisbane.
He already trains former Lincoln Farms pacers Lincoln Road, who has won his last five on end, and Blue Glory.
Barnes describes Sir Lincoln four-year-old Lincoln Road as “the complete package”.
“He is so versatile - he’s led, parked out and come from behind - and this combined with his unbelievable will to win makes him a bit special,” he said.
“We’re hoping he can reach open class and that we’ll have plenty of fun along the way.”
More news in Harness
Tyson KOs rivals but Ray floored by stewards’ post-race song and dance over assistant’s help
Dr Green goes to work on mentally fragile Tyson hoping to pen better script for Friday
Ray tells why he rates Lincoln Lou clearly best of Lincoln Farms’ quartet in the fourth race
It’s all up to Angus - Brisbane’s young gun needs to drive a pearler on Nemo at Redcliffe
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Mark Dux’s comments
Wednesday night at Redcliffe
Race 1: Captain Nemo
7.17pm NZ time
“It’s a reasonable field, they’re not push-overs, but they’re all beatable. It will all come down to who gets the right trip. If we have something go our way we could get some of it as there’s not a lot between them and I don’t think he’s far off now. We’ve got a bad draw again and there’s a bit of speed inside us so I’ll tell Angus to just play it by ear.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln La Moose
7.32pm
“He’s a pretty good horse. He was still below his best last time at Cambridge - he needed the race - but went very well for second behind King’s Watch. With his ace draw, he should be right up there for Zac (Butcher). He always looked a bit delicate but he’s got tougher.”
Race 4: Obadiah Dragon
7.32pm
“He’ll go a good race but our others look better here. His last run was below par for him so we took a blood off him and he had a bit of a virus going on. He was at the tail end of it but it was enough to stop him.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.32pm
“Even if he’s half a run short, I don’t think it will matter, he’ll still be too good for this lot. He only had a mild virus which came right with treatment and he’s trained on well since. He feels pretty good and if I was betting man, I’d bet him for sure based on his last run, which was massive.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.32pm
“He’s in a ‘coming of age’ phase. He rushed up beside them last start and wanted to lay all over them and give them a hug. But that’s normal coltish behaviour. He does that in training as well, rushes up and switches off. He has a lot of ability but also a few little behaviour traits that we need to get on top of.”
Race 6: My Copy
8.24pm
“It won’t be easy from four on the second row but he’s very honest and, if opportunity knocks, he’ll be right there. If he gets a trip, he’s always ready to pounce.”
Race 9: Tyson
9.39pm
“He should be one of the favourites. The raw ability is there and he’ll definitely win races as he has a bit of speed. How far he will take us we have yet to find out but I thought he did really well last time given the run he had.”
