Captain Nemo, pictured after winning at Manawatu, has aways hinted at more to come. PHOTO: Royden Williams.
Captain Nemo shipshape again, says Mark, but it will all come down to luck from bad draw
By Barry Lichter • 2 August 2021
A very wide draw has thrown a spanner in the works but expect Captain Nemo to go a much better race at Albion Park on Tuesday than he did when debuting in Queensland.
Lincoln Farms’ three-year-old ran a shocker as a $2.30 favourite on June 25, dropping out to beat only one home after hanging in badly and racing roughly round every turn, not allowing driver Anthony Butt to get him closer than three wide for the entire trip.
Butt told stewards during a post race inquiry that the horse raced ungenerously because he was hitting his knees round the bends.
But Lincoln Farms’ Ray Green and now caretaker trainer Mark Dux have sorted that issue, fitting a burr to the horse’s inside rein.
“He’s been good working with it at home,” says Dux. “If he hangs again the next thing to try is a pole but I’ve been very happy with him.”
Captain Nemo hasn’t raced since that inglorious first-up attempt because he tied up but Dux says he’s now on top of that problem.
“He’s got a terrible alley - the outside of the front line - but if he gets a reasonable run he can win.
“It’s not the best field, but they’re not no-hopers. There are a couple in there that go OK. If he was going one-on-one he could beat most of them but it will all come down to luck from that draw.
“If he had brilliant gate speed you could burn across, but he doesn’t, so he’ll have to work into it at some stage.
“If he can get a nice run into the race, he’ll be amongst it.”
Captain Nemo, who is the equal top rated horse in the field and will be driven by Paul Diebert, left New Zealand in career best form, notching his first win at Alexandra Park, after only being able to win previously against Cambridge (three times) and Manawatu company.
And in his second last start at Auckland he beat all but the pomising Art Nouveau, who rounded up a strong field to win the Futurity Final at Auckland last Friday night.
Green has always had a bit of a soft spot for the Captaintreacherous colt, whom he predicted would strengthen into a useful performer for Lincoln Farms owners John and Lynne Street, Gareth Paddison, the Green Machine Syndicate, Grant Dickey, Peter Dougherty and Ian Middleton.
Captain Nemo races at 6.12pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
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Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: The Night Fox
5.44pm
“From a good front line draw Harry can run off the gate and find the front. He’s shown he’s got the speed to get there. And if he can go 2:42 again, or quicker, I thought he’d be a very good winning chance. It’s an easier field than the one he beat last time. He’s trained well this week.”
Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
6.09pm
“She goes down to Cambridge for the first time so it’s a big drop in class. She also goes a lot better left-handed so I thought from the good draw she could run top three.”
Race 3: Lincoln Maree
6.34pm
“She paced a 1:56.7 mile in beating the amateurs last start but it looks like she’ll need a bit of luck from the draw this time. The two inside her like to lead so she could end up three fence or outside them. I’ll leave it up to Harry to get the right trip.”
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.34pm
“He’s a place chance. He likes bowling along but from five it’s hard to say where he’ll end up. He’s very consistent and he paced 2:42.3 last time so I can absolutely see him in the money.”
Race 6: Lincoln Linda
8.04pm
“She was in a very strong R40 to R48 race last time at Auckland against horses like Alecto, All Of Me and Cyclone Rebel, and she clocked 2:41.1, so back to Cambridge where she won her first race, and a much easier R38 to R40 field, she’s got to be a good winning chance. She’s best in front if Fergie can get there.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
4.42pm
“I’m not holding my breath with him. We won’t count that last run, when the leader went ballistic and he couldn’t get into the race, but he’s not well placed here.”
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.09pm
“She’s racing really well and this looks a bit easier than last time when she was trapped in the breeze in a strong field. I can’t see how she won’t be right in the fight.”
Race 7: Missy Lincoln
7.34pm
“I didn’t know what to expect on debut but she was very brave. I’m picking she’ll go well again but she’ll need a bit of luck - drawn the second line we’re at the mercy of others. We’ll poke her out and see. At least she won’t get parked this time.”
Race 10: Lincoln Wave
9.07pm
“We’re racing the best horses now but he’ll definitely go better than last time. Tony (Herlihy) said he felt super across the top but once in the straight he flattened out, which I half expected. I had him scoped afterwards just to make sure he was all right but he was short of a run, that’s all.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
9.07pm
“He went super when third last week and Fergie said just wait ’til he gets over 2700 metres, he’ll be a monster. He’s turned into a proper racehorse. From four there’ll be a bit of urgency early and hopefully he can get a suck along and get some of it.”
