Captain Nemo can bark out the orders again at Albion Park on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 13 January 2023
Lincoln Farms’ warrior Captain Nemo looks well placed to score back-to-back wins at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Trainer Mark Dux reports the five-year-old has felt “a million dollars” since his courageous win last Saturday night.
And, after downing a band 5 field last week he drops to a weaker class of up-to-rating 80 horses, which will see him clearly the one to beat, says Dux.
“He’ll be a $2 favourite and rightly so. He’s the highest rated in the field and has been beating better horses lately.”
Nemo is eligible for the race only through the engagement of claiming driver Justin Elkins but Dux says he’ll lose nothing on that score.
“Justin has driven a few winners for me lately and he’ll listen and besides there’s nothing in the field to be scared of.
Laid-back Captain Nemo is doing just enough to hold his rivals last Saturday night.“More than likely he’ll cross from six and then he should win and, even if he sits parked, he’ll probably still win.”
Captain Nemo showed he was right back to his best last week when he worked hard to park before taking the lead at the bell and holding his opposition with a minimum of effort to take the 2138 metre race in a 1:55.6 mile rate.
He drops back to the shorter 1660 metres on Saturday, the distance at which he all but caught hot pot Targaryen two starts back in a 1:53.4 mile rate.
Earlier in the night Tommy Lincoln faces another difficult test, drawn four in the free-for-all class race against the better performed pair Turn It Up and Blacksadance. “Tommy just can’t get a draw. He won’t cross Deus Ex in in one but if he can get in front of the other ones inside him he should end up getting cover.”
Dux expects Turn It Up to use his superior gate speed to cross to the front and at some stage he says Blacksadance should roll round to be outside the leader.
“It will come down to how soon Tommy gets cover. I just hope Blacksadance comes early and not at the half. Tommy can sit parked but he’s not quite so effective there.
“With luck he can finish top three or four. He can’t be going any better than he is and they’re not lengths better than him.”
Last week Tommy ran out of his skin, powering up to find the breeze and fighting right to the wire just 2.5 metres fourth to Rock Bottom.
Tommy Lincoln races at 10.06pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Captain Nemo races at 12.36pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
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Nathan’s comments
Thurday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Dreams Of Eric
6.03pm
“He’s just come back from a two-week break and seems a lot better after the freshen-up. He’s training really well but this will be like a trial for him. There looks to be a lot of speed in the race so, from five, he won’t be put into the early rush. We’re still aiming him at the Harness 5000 at Ashburton in December.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Kevin Kline
4.44pm
“He was held up last week but still got home really well, hard on their backs and, with the right trip, he’ll be dangerous. But the race looks suited to a horse like Hooray Henry who, in a small field, can sit back and outsprint them.
Race 9: Tyson
8.54pm
“We were looking to sit in with him last week but it didn’t work out. He still ran on pretty well as he always does. He just needs a bit of luck.”
Race 9: Debbie Lincoln
8.54pm
“Maurice was happy with her run last week and said she paced strongly through the line. From seven on the gate this week she’ll have to go back but I think she’s better coming from off the pace. She’s a good chance if she can get sucked into it at the right time.”
