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.
More news in Harness
Debbie lands Golden draw at last in her bid to give Sampson a haircut at the Park
Spiritual Bliss and Lincoln Maree add to Lincoln Farms’ gallery of Manawatu heroes
Video clue on why Lincoln Lover is tipped to go boldly fresh-up at Auckland on Friday night
A picture of Bliss but poor Harry’s arms were nearly pulled out of their sockets
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 3: Lincoln Downs
6.22pm
“She got home really well on the second night at Manawatu and gets a good draw here. There’s not much exposed form in the race so it’s hard to know how she compares but she’ll win one.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Debbie Lincoln
7.01pm
“I thought she went super again last week with no luck and we’ve got a decent draw for a change so you have to like her chances. She’s been getting in on the corners, so we’ve added a Murphy blind.”
Race 3: Tyson
7.01pm
“I was impressed by the way he hung on to Captain Sampson and Greased Lightnin last week. They’re strong sprinters and it was only a sprint up the straight. He’ll need things to go his way from six.”
Race 3: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.01pm
“It was his first run for a while last week and he probably needed another trial. But we thought we might as well race him to set him up for this week. The outside draw of eight doesn’t help.”
Race 9: Lincoln Lover
9.55pm
“He’s not as sharp as our other two but he’s a game little bugger. He’ll win races for sure.”
Race 9: Prince Lincoln
9.55pm
“I thought he went really well last week. He’d had only one trial and was a bit fresh so it was understandable that he got tired the last bit. That will tighten him up and I’m expecting him to race well. He’s trained on well since.”
Race 9: Johnny Lincoln
9.55pm
“Prince has the wood on Johnny but he’ll still go well. He found the line well last week. It was his first run for a while too, and his first as a gelding.”
