Rich Link doing prominent owners proud in Queensland

By Alex Nolan

Although prominent SKY presenter Jason Lincoln has been in the headlines throughout 2022 for his ownership stake in top-line greyhounds She’s A Pearl and Good Odds Emma, no greyhound is giving him more satisfaction at present than Queensland-based Rich Link.

The youngster by Good Odds Harada contests Thursday’s TAB Middle Distance Challenge final from box two as a leading fancy, after overcoming traffic to score in the final bounds of last week’s heat.

In four starts over 600m at Albion Park, the Tony Zammit-trained dog has tasted defeat just once at the hands of boom stayer Days Of Thunder.

But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the 22-month-old, who Lincoln purchased as a pup in conjunction with his good mate and WA race caller Richie Bell (hence the name ‘Rich’ ‘Link’).

Lincoln and Bell had discussed purchasing a greyhound for some time.

After hearing positive reports about the litter’s break-in, the pair reached deep into their pockets to buy the dog from the second litter out of noted stayer Book Of Luck.

From the same litter also comes the very promising We Don’t Share, a winner of the six from 13 including the rich TAB Million Dollar Chase Maiden final, and Punter’s Bandit, who has clocked 29.49 over 520m at Wentworth Park and finished fourth to Good Odds Emma at Group 1 level.

Sent to Wentworth Park for a winning 520m debut under the care of Jodie and Andy Lord, Rich Link beat home What A Tease who now boasts a 34.48 over 600m at Dapto.

Lincoln declared there and then: “this dog will stay”.

But things went amiss shortly after, and the Lords suggested sending the youngster to a smaller kennel where more time could be spent ironing out the kinks.

“There was a succession of bad luck and injuries, and he was really immature anyway … they said he would need someone who could spend a bit of extra time on him,” Lincoln said.

“Because of what Tony Zammit had done with Adulate, who was fast but pulling up early in his career … he was the first person I thought of.

“At his first start he went horrible and we were mortified.

“Watching the run you’d think ‘this dog needs 400, not 600’ but Tony said ‘he hasn’t settled in too well, he needs a little more time’.

“He should have won his novice when he was beaten by At Sea but ran into him in the straight … it was comical really, but not at the time.

“When he broke 30 seconds the following start, we started to turn our attention towards 600m races.”

Rich Link hit the ground running over the trip, carving out a 9.70-second first split before careering away to score by 6.5L over Hello Warren in 34.91 seconds on debut.

He went even quicker to the first mark at his next start, dashing to the front in 9.66 seconds before Days Of Thunder unleashed her customary burst to nail him late.

He would win again rolling out in front at Albion last Monday, before arriving at a heat of the Middle Distance Challenge drawn in Box 8.

Beginning fairly from out wide, Rich Link worked across to find a mid-field position and his winning hopes looked slim at best at the halfway point.

But the dog showed some smarts to pick his way through the field, going between runners late, before powering to the line to score in a photo finish with Pebble’s Girl.

“Last week’s win will be the making of him,” Lincoln said.

“I’m told not too many run faster first splits than what he had been running at his first few starts, but I was worried that he was a dog that would charge and not know how to relax in the lead.

“Last week showed that his field sense has improved and he can do it at both ends, which was pleasing to see.”

The timing couldn’t be better for Rich Link, with the Group 2 Golden Sands series over 600m fast approaching.

“We’re under no illusions that he’ll be going into a Golden Sands and winning, the good dogs are yet to come,” Lincoln said.

“But we’ll be there at the right time and that’s exciting.”

Lincoln added: “Being involved in She’s A Pearl and Good Odds Emma is one thing, but this feeling is completely different.

“Joe Lannutti and the Punters HQ syndicate have made all that happen, but we’ve had this dog since he was a pup and to think he’s now racing in features gives us a big thrill.”

Lincoln will return to Queensland for SKY’s extensive coverage of the Golden Greys Summer Carnival after Christmas and can’t wait to get back.

“It’s no secret that I am Queensland racing’s number one fan … the state is going ahead in leaps and bounds,” Lincoln said.

“Prizemoney increases aside, whenever I go to Queensland everyone makes you feel at home. We always have the New South Wales versus Queensland jibes, but people are generally so welcoming on the track.

“Once the new track is up and running, it will be the beginning of a new history for greyhound racing in the state, that I am confident about.”

The TAB Middle Distance Challenge comes up as Race 6 on the 12-race card at Albion Park, where Rich Link’s toughest opposition shapes to be Hidden Agenda (box one), Pebble’s Girl (box three) and second heat winner Come On Aussie in box eight.  

Lincoln will have three interests at Albion Park on Thursday night.  

Adulate lines up in a Fifth Grade event in Race 9 and will exit box six after missing a spot in the TAB Christmas Stocking Fifth Grade final, following a luckless run in the heats.

He will also have Just Like Mick lining up in the mixed fourth and fifth grade event - Race 4 - as one of the most interesting runners on the card. 

Owned in conjunction with Steve Withers and Michael Harders - who raced star chaser Tommy Shelby - Just Like Mick makes his Albion Park debut over 600m after having five starts at Capalaba for the Jedda Cutlack kennel. 

"We're aiming him at the Golden Sands too, but Thursday will tell us where we're at," Lincoln said.