Former Kiwi galloper Lincoln Rocks has provided the newly formed partnership of Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald with their first metropolitan winner when landing the Luna Hand Care Handicap (2040m) at The Valley on Saturday.
The six-year-old son of Road To Rock was confidently ridden by Mark Zahra, going back from a wide draw and pocketing chief rival Captain Electric inside hm before looping the field to score comfortably.
Sporting the colours of OTI Racing, Lincoln Rocks has now had three starts in Australia for two wins and a placing, having originally been prepared by Lisa Latta in New Zealand, for whom he won two of nine starts.
“It’s very good for Rob and Annabel too. I think it's their first Saturday winner since joining up,” stable representative Kyle Ryan said.
Lincoln Rocks had more than 12 months between his last run in New Zealand and his first start in Australia, with connections patience being rewarded by the promising stayer.
“He came across from New Zealand in good shape and he spent a bit of time in Sydney,” Ryan said. “He had a couple of trials up there and they had to pull up stumps and start again but he's come down here and he's really thrived in Melbourne.
“He just had a few little creases that had to be ironed out. Terry (Henderson) and his OTI team, they do a great job, they have shown plenty of patience and it's paying off.
“That was only a Benchmark 70 but he's creeping up there now and he's shown he's pretty adaptable and heading in the right direction, so we will let Annabel, Rob and Terry and the team decide where he heads next.”
The two favourites fought out the finish with Lincoln Rocks finishing a long neck ahead of Captain Electric who dashed late in an overall time of 2.09.37 on the soft 6 track.
“My plan was to follow Stacky (Daniel Stackhouse on Captain Electric) everywhere but I really bounced well and I ended up a spot in front of him. The main thing was just to relax, let it all unfold and come with the last run,” Zahra said.
“From the six, to the four, to the three hundred, I thought I’ve pretty much got this won. He won pretty soft in the end.
“Usually I find in a staying race if you're on a horse that gets back, It's not the biggest disadvantage, you're probably going to give up a few spots but if you're on a horse that's got a little bit on them you can usually do it.
“That was pretty good third up and I like the way he raced today. He was a lot more relaxed in the run and finished off very strong so I think he can definitely go up in class.”
Bred by John and Lynne Street’s Lincoln Farms Bloodstock Ltd, Lincoln Rocks is out of the winning Darci Brahma mare Princess Maryanne, who was retained as a broodmare after she injured a tendon in just her second start in 2017 when showing enormous potential.
Bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo negotiated the private purchase of Lincoln Rocks after his victory at Hawke’s Bay in April last year.