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Lincoln Blue is proving more than a match for his own age group over a mile and there is confidence that the Awapuni three-year-old can make his presence felt over more ground.
The well-related colt earned top honours in the Gr.3 Lucia Valentina Wellington Stakes at Otaki on Friday to complete a black type double for trainer Lisa Latta, who had earlier produced North And South to claim the Listed Chainey’s Panasonic Levin Stakes.
“He’s a real up and comer,” Latta said. “He holds nominations for the Levin Classic and the Derby.”A son of Savabeel and a brother to the Gr.1 Queensland Derby winner Brambles, Lincoln Blue coped with the Slow 8 conditions under a good ride from Masa Tanaka.
“I think he will be better on top of the ground, he doesn’t need wet tracks,” Latta said.She has taken a patient approach with Lincoln Blue and she wasn’t prepared to pressure him to be ready for a tilt at the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas.
“I thought that would come up a touch too soon for him so I decided to set him for this race,” Latta said.“I said to Masa to get him up in the first three or four and don’t be afraid to get going and put the pressure on 500 metres out.”
Tanaka did just that and Lincoln Blue forged clear in the run home to beat Rayas, who came from the tail of the field, and No Fuss Gus.“He was very professional and jumped out well and he travelled nicely all the way,” Tanaka said. “I thought we had it won at the top of the straight.”