Platinum Lincoln impresses on debut

5th Aug 2012

Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta celebrated a treble on the opening day of the Grand National meeting with the winning efforts of two younger members of the team completed by the veteran of the stable.

Platinum Lincoln (NZ) (Iffraaj)

Platinum Lincoln (NZ) (Iffraaj) claimed the three-year-old handicap before the four-year-old Princess Lincoln (Lonhro) defeated the Rating 75 sprinters. It was then the turn of the 11-year-old Tick Tock Turbo (NZ) (Turbulent Dancer) to turn back the clock and down the open class sprinters.

“You’ve got to love him and he’s one in a million,” said Latta, who also races the gelding. “A lot of people would have got rid of him as a three and four-year-old when he was a real handful.”

Bred by C. Mudgway, Tick Tock Turbo (NZ) has now posted five of his 10 career victories at Riccarton and three of them over his favoured 1200 metre trip.

“The wetter the better for him, but he doesn’t see out a mile when it’s heavy so we dropped him back,” Latta said. “He’s a real old favourite.”

Meanwhile, Platinum Lincoln (NZ) (Iffraaj) raced right up to his looks and pedigree on debut to put himself into possible contention for the age group features.

“He’s a gorgeous horse and a pleasure to do anything with,” Latta said. “He had a jump-out at home a couple of weeks ago and has taken natural improvement from that.”

Platinum Lincoln (NZ) proved too good for his more experienced opposition on Saturday to have three-quarters of a length on last-start winner Cheeky Tart (NZ) (Edenwold) at the finish.

“I would have been quite happy if he had run in the first three,” Latta said. “We’ll take him home and see what happens.”

Raced by long-time stable clients Lincoln Farms and Neville McAllister, Platinum Lincoln (NZ) was bred by Awapuni trainer Gary Vile and was purchased by Latta out of Goodwood Stud’s 2009 Select Sale draft for NZ$60,000.

He is out of Midnight Call (NZ) (Jetball) who was a multiple winner and placed in the Gr.3 Lowland Stakes for Vile who also trained family members and sisters Tough Call (NZ) (Val Dansant) and Call Spades (NZ). They both won the Listed Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes while half-sister Gentle Call (NZ) (Classic Fame) won the Gr.3 Lowland Stakes.

Latta also has a close working knowledge of the family as her Gr.3 Challenge Stakes winner Justanexcuse (NZ) (No Excuse Needed) features in the pedigree, as does the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks and Gr.1 New Zealand Stakes winner Scarlett Lady (NZ) (Savabeel).

Celebrations continued for Lincoln Farms in the following Rating 75 event won by Princess Lincoln (Lonhro), who beat her stablemate Madam Lincoln (Snippetson).