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.
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Les Harding
Monday at Globe Derby
Race 6: Beaudiene Rocknroll
6.34pm NZ time
This race will tell us how he measures up against the local horses. We decided to go for this lower graded race, despite having lower prize money, instead of going to the trials one more time. He won the second of two trials on April 21, beating race rival Hezrockinroyalty by four metres. Run over 2230 metres he clocked 57.7 for his last half and 1:59.7 for his last mile. From the pole he’ll start short and be hard to beat.
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 7: Lincoln Lou
8.25pm
“He’s a beautiful little horse who doesn’t do anything wrong. He got held up at a crucial time last week and got home well (for sixth). He gets out pretty well so should get a good trip from two. He’ll go his usual honest race. He’s improving all the time, he’s a gutsy little guy, but whether he can measure up to the favourites remains to be seen.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.25pm
“He’s a work in progress and we’re still dabbling with his gear. He’s actually a naturally good-gaited horse, like all the American Ideals, but he’s going through a stage of not really knowing why he’s out there. You just don’t know when he’ll click but three is an ideal draw for him and he should be handy if he does things right.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
9.20pm
“He’s an under-rated horse, as good as those others who are higher rated. He’s proving to be a tidy horse and, while he’s not viewed as a serious player by some, I think he is. He was closing off really well last week behind Hugotastic.”
