Unlucky Leo worth a dollar in the cup and La Moose can go close again on Thursday night

At $12, Leo Lincoln is at the right odds for a throw at the stumps in Thursday night’s $22,000 Manawatu Cup.

Lincoln Farms’ four-year-old was the most unlucky runner on night one of the meeting, never clear in the run home of the cup prelude.

Driver and co-trainer Nate Delany ended up beating only one home but was untested, hard on their backs just 1.8 lengths from winner Rough And Ready.

Leo Lincoln is bolting behind them with nowhere to go.“He was very unlucky,” said Delany who was held up three back on the markers from the home turn.

“The gap sort of opened up then closed again and I had to take hold.

“He was still charging to the line and if the gap had opened up he would have been right there with the winner.”

Delany said he had hopes of securing a one-one trail early in the race but stayed on the markers fearing Jay Abernethy might drop down on Fredastaire and leave Leo Lincoln exposed, not the best scenario in his first race for three months.

“If he can step and lead on Thursday, then slot into the trail, he should be a winning chance. He was cruising on the first night, should be improved with the run, and he’s eaten up and is feeling well.”

Despite the unlucky performance, and his perfect front row draw of two in basically the same field, Leo Lincoln is only sixth equal favourite in the cup, behind the 20 metre marker Boudica ($2.20).

Lincoln La Moose is in again for Peter Ferguson. PHOTO: Jack McKenzie/Race Images.Delany rates Lincoln La Moose ($3.40) as the stable’s best chance on the night, when he shoots for a Manawatu hat-trick.

Lincoln La Moose’s one and a quarter length win on Tuesday was a carbon copy of his previous success, driver Peter Ferguson charging forward from a wide draw to eventually secure the top.

On Thursday night, despite being now rated 56 he will race the same R46 to R52 company, courtesy of Delany’s junior concession claim, and he hopes to drive him the same way.

It’s thumbs up from driver Peter Ferguson and co-trainer Nate Delany. PHOTO: Jack McKenzie/Race Images.“He obviously likes it in front. Ferg didn’t pull the plugs the other night and that tells you something. He’s doing everything right, I can’t fault him.

“He’s definitely a different horse down here. We’re getting up through the grades now and he’ll be racing better horses when he gets home.”

Lincoln La Moose has now won four races for Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street and their partners, the Red and Blue syndicate, the Green Machine syndicate, Glenn and Ann Cotterill and Ian Middleton.

Gear change

Delany will make a gear change in the sixth race on Onyx Shard, the medium of some heavy support on Tuesday, when her opening quote of $5.50 was more than halved.

The mare came up a neck short, collared close to the post by Goorambat Art, her lack of sharp gate speed resulting in her being caught three wide early and taking 500 metres to reach the lead.

“Ferg said she wasn’t on the bit the whole way, was too relaxed. We’ll take the block blinds off on Thursday and put half blinds on and see if that helps.

“She had to do a bit of work in the run on Tuesday but it doesn’t seem to have knocked her around.”

Onyx Shard is rated the fourth favourite at $6, given she has to overcome the extreme outside draw this time.