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Captain Nemo can bark out the orders again at Albion Park on Saturday night

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.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.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.Captain Nemo races at 12.36pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.

Our runners this week

Friday night at Auckland

What’s Up The Hill.

Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Tuesday twilight at Manawatu

Race 3: Onyx Shard
5.09pm

“She’s working really well and, from the good draw, hopefully she can run a drum. The field’s not that much harder than the one she beat last time at Manawatu (when parked for the last lap).”

Race 3: Kevin Kline
5.09pm

“We’re very happy with him - he’s come back a better horse. He went well at Auckland last start and is working well. We’ll be looking to go forward from the gate and hopefully get a gun run through behind Onyx Shard. On ability, he’s the better chance of the two.”

Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.39pm

“He stepped like a bullet in his first go from a stand here in March. I thought he’d do the same on the second day but he galloped. We’ve got an overcheck on and hopple shorteners on Tuesday so he should make a good beginning. If he can step and lead, then maybe take a trail, he should be hard to beat. He likes it down there where the track is quite soft.”

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Thursday night at Manawatu

Race 3: Onyx Shard
6.04pm

“I thought I had Kevin Kline covered on Tuesday when we got to the straight because she was really travelling but he kicked away on us. It would be nice if she can get out of the gate as well again - she has good gate speed - and, if she does, she can get some of it again.”

Race 3: Kevin Kline
6.04pm

“He was too good for them on Tuesday, thanks to a great Fergy drive, and he’s in the same field again this time. The extra distance and wide draw shouldn’t make much of a difference and he’s our best of the night.”

Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.02pm

“He’ll be hard to beat again if he steps like he did on Tuesday. The 10 metre handicap shouldn’t stop him. I think he’s even better if he follows something and the extra 500 metres isn’t a worry.”

Race Images - Harness