Two (not so) secret weapons help Lincoln Farms to $29,287 payday at Cambridge

Two of Lincoln Farms’ secret weapons helped the stable to a $29,287 paypay at Cambridge on Friday night.

After wins with Lincoln Wave, Major Copy and Prince Lincoln, a second with Jessie Lincoln and fourth with Lincoln Dealer, co-trainer Ray Green singled out veteran driver Maurice McKendry and his own wife Debbie as two vital cogs in the powerful Lincoln Farms’ machine.

“Maurice showed the world why we use him,” Green said. “His drives on Lincoln Wave and Major Copy were perfect.”

Maurice McKendry … still earning accolades at the age of 70.After being left out four wide when challenging for the early lead on Lincoln Wave, McKendry expertly slotted the colt into the one-one possie.

“He waited and waited and, even though the horse switched off again as soon as he hit the front, Maurice was ready for him this time and when he gave him a couple of smacks he went again. He could have won by more.”

As it was, the judge credited Lincoln Wave with a three-quarter length margin over Dominus, and a winning mile rate of 1:54.9 for the 1700 metres.

The win, his fifth in only 12 starts, took his earnings to $73,890, some consolation for the fact he missed his entire two-year-old season when he was rated the top juvenile in the stable.

“But he might not have made a racehorse at all had it not been for Debra. He always showed plenty but she sussed out he had a problem with sesamoiditis before it really happened and we were able to back off him before any damage was done.”

With nothing of major significance coming up, Lincoln Wave will have to wait until later in the year to dramatically boost his stakes tally and Green says that means he’ll almost certainly have to go through the process of getting the hang of standing starts.

“He bombed it in his first go at Auckland but I’m sure he’ll get it in time.”

The driving skills of McKendry, who has now notched 3444 wins, and selection genius of Debbie Green were also to the fore when Major Copy scored in just his second start earlier in the night (see separate story).

Prince Lincoln is well clear and still cruising for driver Matthew White. PHOTO: Ange Bridson/Race Images.And Prince Lincoln, who was bought from Alabar after originally being passed in, continued his Jekyll and Hyde formline when he lit up the Cambridge track with a sizzling 1:53.8 mile rate win, running the 1700 metres in 2:00.32, all of 1.1 seconds faster than Lincoln Wave.

With Matthew White at the helm, the Always B Miki colt was clear throughout, untroubled to score by four and three-quarter lengths.

“His two runs on the front end have been enormous,” Green said, referring to the colt’s 1:53.6 mile rate annihilation five starts earlier at Alexandra Park.

“I really don’t know what goes through his head, he did it easily, with minimum driving. In behind he doesn’t try. In front, I don’t think he even knows the others are there.

“He’s always been a nice, lovely gaited horse, good looking and nice to do anything with. But after he won his first start, his drivers would report he was jogging until they gave him some air, when he just gave up.

“Nobody likes cheats who don’t deliver but if he keeps doing that I’ll be happy. He’s a very capable horse.”