Argyle is racing a lot better than his form line would suggest. PHOTO: Chanelle Lawson.
Argyle’s racing in super style but it looks like another mission impossible on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 11 May 2023
Argyle is crying out to win a race but, again, he faces a near impossible task at Albion Park on Saturday night, pitted against one of the state’s best pacers from a difficult draw.
Trainer Mark Dux says he can’t fault how Argyle is racing and last week even driver Angus Garrard described his run - for seventh - as super.
Taken back from a wide draw, Argyle paced the 1660 metres in a mile rate of 1:53.33, ripping home in 54.91 in restricted quarters.
“The numbers don’t look like it but he’s going terrific. You look at the 6th and 7th and think he’s only so-so but they’ve been pretty decent runs.
“He really hit the line well last week but it’s a very strong race on Saturday, with Leap To Fame and a few others, and he’s got another bad draw.
“He can’t go forward - there’s speed inside us and speed outside us - so we’ll have to drive him cold again.”
Dux says if Argyle burns at the start and can’t cross the ones inside him, he risks being stuck out, and could then be on the receiving end of a 55 final half when Leap To Fame launches.
While the New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland Derby winner hasn’t raced since taking the Breeders Challenge at Menangle last October in 1:49, Leap To Fame looked good in winning a recent trial.
“He’s a Group horse, you wouldn’t get any tougher in this grade. I was hoping the race would be split into two divisions to give us a chance.
“It’s so frustrating, I can’t find races for him because of his rating. It’s hard to slot him in - the weaker races just aren’t there or they don’t stand up.
“And even against these super strong horses he’s getting tough alleys. It does your head in. There’s no reason why he couldn’t have run a place had he drawn better.
“But he’ll keep. We’ll drive him cold, take short cuts and hope for some pressure, and not just in the last half.”
Dux reports stablemates Tommy Lincoln and Captain Nemo are still on the way back from recent breaks.
“Tommy’s back jogging, but he’s still four to five weeks away. He’s done well and put on a lot of weight.
“We’re just walking Nemo who still has a little bit of swelling. Older horses take a bit of time to get over gelding.”
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
