Captain Nemo is showing no sign of stopping for Paul Diebert after his enormous run last week. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Captain Nemo can torpedo his Albion Park rivals again on Tuesday, bad draw and all
By Barry Lichter • 9 August 2021
Trainer Mark Dux is predicting another big effort from Captain Nemo at Albion Park on Tuesday, the horse no worse off for his jaw dropping win last week.
Dux reports Nemo felt sharp in his work on Saturday, just four days after staging one of the toughest wins seen at Brisbane headquarters for a long time.
Left three wide soon after the start he was taken back to the rear by driver Paul Diebert before mounting a solo three wide run 1200 metres out to park outside the two leaders at the bell.
When most horses would have run out of gas before the home turn, Captain Nemo kept finding and never flinched in the run home to take the 2138 metre race by 3.3 metres in a 1:57.6 mile rate.
A round from home and Captain Nemo is three wide outside the leaders pouring it on.The effort had commentator Chris Barsby fizzing over both the enormity and ease of the win.
“He pulled up really well and they’ll know he’s there again,” Dux said.
“The field is a wee bit harder this week - there are a couple in there that are going well - but I can’t see any reason why he won’t work his way around again.”
Captain Nemo will leave the gate from seven, the same spot as last week, so Dux knows he’ll have to do some work again to get near the pace.
And with a horse like five-race winner Our Action Man going so well, drawn perfectly in two, and capable of running time for trainer-driver Rickie Alchin, it won’t be easy, he said.
At his last start the American Ideal gelding began from seven, was three wide to the death, and beat all but warm favourite Bitcoin in a 1:57.4 mile rate.
But Dux has a lot of faith in his new charge for Lincoln Farms.
“I’d rather have a good draw than a bad one but he showed what he was capable of last week.
“I think he’s a great chance.”
Captain Nemo races at 6.12pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
More news in Harness
$101 winner Lincoln Wave has improved and is worth following in Friday’s derby lead-up
OK Sammy, lightning bolts aside, Ray’s relying on you to do things right this time
Lincoln Dealer has the genes but not the barrier draw for Cambridge debut
HRNZ boss Brad Steele resigns after less than two years; chairman praises his work
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Lincoln LInda
5.14pm
“The fillies she raced against in the Sires’ Stakes Semi were the best around so this is a massive drop in class for her. I imagine Fergie will work his way forward, as she’s best in front, and then she’d become the one to beat.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
5.16pm
“The draw helps as he likes being in front. The raw ability is there but from time to time he’s reluctant to show it. But that last start was a vast improvement.”
Race 1: Colonel Lincoln
5.16pm
“He was definitely in need of the run first-up and will benefit from another. He’s been off the scene for a long time.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.08pm
“He did well second-up, peeling off a 55.1 half. He’s been a slow maturer but I think he’s getting stronger as he gets older - he certainly feels much stronger in his work.”
Race 5: Lincoln Wave
7.08pm
“The Cambridge race has brought him on and I’m sure he’ll go well again, but he won’t be butchered a week out from the Derby. I don’t want to get carried away but he’s a pretty good horse, the best of our three in the race. He’s a year younger than Suger Ray but has a bit more ability. It’s hard to know where he’ll take us but he has the potential to be a classic colt.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.08pm
“He’s in the zone, he’s feeling really great, and he won’t go badly. But he’ll need luck from the draw.”
Race 9: Spiritual Bliss
9.04pm
“She’s racing better horses now and has done well to cop getting parked in some hard-run races. Leading is her go and she’ll get her chance from the inside draw.”
Race 10: Rivergirl Bella
9.36pm
“She has got a bit of speed but she can’t carry it very far. But if she gets the right trip, and gets out at the right time, not too soon, she’s always a chance.”
Race 10: Jessie Lincoln
9.36pm
“Harry blamed himself for the horse breaking at the start at Cambridge - he said he asked her to go a bit too quickly off the gate. She shouldn’t do it again. She’ll hold her own here, I’m sure.”
Race 10: Marylynes Boy
9.36pm
“He’s been training well but he’s only a little colt having his first start and from the second row I think Nathan will be happy to just see him get around safely.”
