Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta had more than one reason to celebrate on Tuesday when New Zealanders surfaced after winning the Rugby World Cup.

Latta prepares President Lincoln who won the G2 Wellington Guineas on the way to a G1 assignment in either the Levin Classic or NZ 2000 Guineas.

President Lincoln (3g O’Reilly – Pinot Gris by Pentire) was stepping out for just the third time at Trentham and could not have been more impressive.  He tracked a line of four horses into the straight and then strode clear to score by more than two lengths from Micken (Darci Brahma).

“He’s a big, strong boy and it was pretty easy in the end,” Latta said.  “I thought being green might be his undoing with the step from 1200m to 1500m.  But he did it like he’s been doing it all his life.”

President Lincoln is a homebred for John and Linda Street and races under their Lincoln Farm banner.  His dam Pinot Gris is a daughter of Covered N’ Grey, a G2 winner of 24 races.

Latta and the Streets also combined to take the Karaka Million with Fort Lincoln (Charge Forward) earlier this year.