Rocknroll Lincoln NZ
It’s Prentice….again!
Outstanding young horseman Justin Prentice has joined his father Kim as a winner of the state’s biggest event following the all the way victory of emerging talent Rocknroll Lincoln in the Gr.1 $450,000 TABtouch WA Pacing Cup at Gloucester Park tonight (Friday).
The victory provides back to back triumphs for the Prentice family after Kim steered the Bryan Cousins trained Soho Tribeca to victory last year.
Kim has also scored with Im Themightyquinn (2011 - driver) and Baltic Eagle (2003 – trainer/driver).
But tonight was all about this young formidable combination.
The Prentice prepared stayer was expertly handled by master reinsman Gary Hall Jnr who controlled the speed perfectly behind the five-year-old before holding off the fast finishing El Jacko and Maczaffair to claim the 2936m mobile start feature.
For Hall Jnr, 35, the victory now provides him with his 8th Cup winner and he now passes legendary horseman Phil Coulson as the most successful driver in the events history.
Amazingly, Hall Jnr has won 8 of the past 18 editions (The Falcon Strike x3, Tealsby Karita, Im Themightyquinn x 2 and Chicago Bull).
Starting front gate two, Hall Jnr pounced on the early lead from Maczaffair while My Field Marshal and Galactic Star both took up handy positions in the moving line.
The lead time was covered in 97.8 seconds.
With positions sorted quickly and Hall Jnr controlling the early speed, the lack of pressure was obvious and the race was unfolding perfectly for the connections of Rocknroll Lincoln.
The first half of the final mile was covered in identical splits of 29.4 and 29.4 seconds.
Rocknroll Lincoln remained the leader from Vampiro who raced without cover with Maczaffair behind the leader while Galactic Star and My Field Marshal sat close in the moving line.
Entering the back straight for the final time, Hall Jnr increased the pressure while Vultan Tin got My Field Marshal moving three wide which in turn flushed Galactic Star from the one out, one back position.
And that’s when Hall Jnr really quickened the speed.
The third quarter was covered in 27.7 seconds.
In the home straight, Rocknroll Lincoln kicked clear before holding the late challengers El Jacko and Maczaffair.
At the line, Rocknroll Lincoln ($3.50) scored by 1.3 metres from El Jacko ($8.50) who used inside runs with a similar margin back to Maczaffair ($41) in third.
Race favourite My Field Marshal ($2.75) finished fourth.
The final quarter was covered in 28.7seconds.
The mile rate was 1:56.8 and established a new race record but was outside of the track record of Smolda at 1:55.8.
“It’s a massive thrill and it’s great to win for this group of owners who have supported me from the start, it’s quite surreal and I was really nervous before the race but it played out well and it was a great drive from Jnr.” Prentice said.
Rocknroll Lincoln has now 14 of his 42 starts and takes his earnings in excess of $464,000.
He now joins Tiger Tara (Victoria Cup & Inter Dominion), Thefixer (New Zealand Cup) and Turn It Up (Auckland Cup) as winners on the 2018/19 Australian Pacing Gold Grand Circuit.
The remaining legs for the current term include the Hunter Cup (February 2 - Melton), Miracle Mile (March 3 - Menangle) and the Blacks A Fake Queensland Championship (Albion Park – July 20).
