Captain Nemo will be driven more quietly out of the gate at Albion Park on Friday. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Captain Nemo rigged for silent running at Albion Park on Friday
By Barry Lichter • 15 September 2021
Captain Nemo is coming off the worst run of his career and is stepping up out of his grade but trainer Mark Dux is still confident he can acquit himself well at Albion Park on Friday.
Stewards ordered a veterinary examination of Captain Nemo after he dropped out before the home turn on September 3 and finished a long last, a far cry from his previous three runs when despite being trapped wide he still finished in the money.
Captain Nemo had a slow recovery rate after the race but nothing else was found to be amiss even when Dux had further tests done on the horse.
“Everything seems OK. You can never be 100 percent sure but my gut feeling tells me it was just that he got too fired up and pulled very hard.
“He’s never really been asked to come off the gate hard and he got far too keen. He really latched on.”
Incredibly, despite the first quarter being cut out in 27.1, and half in 56.1, Captain Nemo still pulled his head off outside the leader.
On Friday, Dux says Captain Nemo will have the luxury of starting from two on the front row, which he says will make life a lot easier for him.
“He can fall out and lob straight in the running line instead of having to burn hard from from seven or the back row.
“Yes, he is racing in a higher grade than he has to but I think he’s up to the task. I think he can win it with the right run.”
Captain Nemo is the lowest rated pacer in the rating 70 to 85 event, plan B for Dux after two easier races he was entered for were canned.
“I’ve had to step him up in grade, and it’s a decent field, but I’m not worried about that as I think he’ll handle it and I can’t see him not running a good race.
“The one (Chiasso) should hold the lead. We can just mosey out and see what happens.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to turn the page. He’s done well since that last race and has trained well.”
Punters who made Captain Nemo a hot favourite in his last two starts won’t forget in a hurry his enormous win over 2138 metres on August 3 when he went back, was checked, then improved to sit three wide solo in the running and still proved too good.
Captain Nemo races at 8.12pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday.
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Nathan’s comments
Wednesday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
5.11pm
“She’s finding her feet and was a bit unlucky at Taupo. She put in a few rough ones out of the gate - she was like that early in her prep and could just jump out of it - but she’s generally doing things right now. She trained well on Saturday and, with the right run, could run top three.”
Race 3: The Night Fox
6pm
“He won really well on the second day at Hawera and if he races anything like he’s training he’ll be hard to beat. He ran a 27.3 quarter during the week and I was just sitting on him. I’ll tell Craig to go forward, set an even tempo and cut him loose at the 600. I think he’s our best of the night.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.35pm
“Hopefully he’s improved since Taupo when Fergie drove him a treat in front. I actually think he’s better coming off something’s back but I’ll leave it up to Fergie. He’s up a bit in grade but has the right draw to be in it all the way.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 5: Lincoln Wave
7.32pm
“He had an easy run last week and he can go a lot faster than that. He should be hard to beat. It won’t matter if he doesn’t find the lead from six, he’ll be just as effective coming from off the pace. He’s a pretty classy horse, classier than most of those against him.”
