Mark uncanny in his prediction, Nemo finds Lady Luck at last and punters get $12

Captain Nemo finally justified the faith of trainer Mark Dux when he out-toughed his rivals at Albion Park this evening.

But while Lincoln Farms’ five-year-old broke a near 11-month drought to win his eighth race in Queensland, rewarding his loyal supporters with a $12 dividend, it wasn’t an easy watch.

Despite enjoying his first good trip in many months, landing a perfect one-one sit, Captain Nemo looked to be labouring.

“I was a bit worried halfway down the back straight but I thought, no, he’ll get going again,” Dux said. “Travelling the way he does you’re never sure, but I knew he wouldn’t give up.”

And while many of his rivals started to struggle when the leader Midnight Calm threw in a 27.9 third quarter, Nemo kept grinding away for driver Grant Dixon and hit the line hard to get home in a head and head finish.

It was just like Dux had scripted the race, as Midnight Calm exploded through the first quarter in a sizzling 26.3, just the scenario he predicted could win the race for Nemo.

“They’ve gone silly early like I hoped and while Grant said he didn’t travel, he can do that. And I knew how well he’d been racing.

“I might have been sounding like a broken record, saying how well he was going running fifth, sixth, but all his times were good, even last week.

Captain Nemo, second from left, is reeling in the favourite Offyarocka Crocker near the finish. PHOTO: Dan Costello.“In the last 12 months the times in our state have got faster and faster and if you don’t have a reasonable run, you don’t win. A lot of the free-for-allers here don’t win either with bad trips.

“Nemo’s good enough to race the better ones but he’ll still need the right trip.”

Dux said while Nemo’s forte always appeared to be toughness, he also has the speed necessary to compete at a higher level.

“You never really see it in a race, he gets off the bit and you don’t want to keep chasing him, but he has good speed and can break 13 for a furlong at home.”

Nemo’s mile rate today of 1:52.3 for the 1660 metres confirmed he had a solid future, Dux said, especially given the track was a little off after hours of rain.

Different bit

Dux said he might try Nemo in a different bit to see if it helped him travel any better. He’s had the same mouthgear since he first arrived in Queensland in June, 2021 when he used to be too keen and hung so badly he was almost impossible to steer.

But Dux said he was reluctant to explore Dixon’s suggestion that he use block blinkers with eyes.

“The last time I did that he cut off his wind and choked down.”

Nemo had come a long way since then, however, and gelding him in April had turned him into a more genuine competitor.

“I always knew he had the ability. And all his runs this time in have been good, barring the one time we used him too much in the running.

“You can do that down in the grades but it knocks him around too much when they’re going faster. Most horses can’t sit parked now.”

Dux said Nemo was looking terrific, with a real coppery coat and, given a trip like this evening, there was no reason he couldn’t repeat the dose next Tuesday when he should be in a similar class race, up to rating 75.

After that he plans to move the horse up to Saturday opposition.

The Captaintreacherous-Arden Caviar gelding, raced by Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street, Gareth Paddison, the Green Machine Racing Syndicate, Grant Dickey, Peter Dougherty and Ian Middleton, has now won 13 of his 84 starts, five in New Zealand for $54,922 and eight in Queensland for A$72,027.