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Everything looking good for Argyle’s comeback tonight but it’s steady as she goes

Don’t expect too much from Argyle when he resumes from a long injury break at Albion Park tonight.

While trainer Mark Dux is pleased with the condition of the now six-year-old, he says he’ll obviously improve with a couple of runs under his belt.

“I’m happy with him and I’m sure he’ll run OK. But first-up, after so long, we’ll drive him conservatively.”

Dux says Argyle has come back well from the suspensory ligament injury which stopped him last April and, after two trials, there has been no sign of any problem.

“He feels good and he’s had a couple of quiet trials. He ran last of three in the latest but we didn’t knock him around.”

Argyle has won three of his eight races in Queensland. PHOTO: Dan Costello.Argyle has won three of his eight races in Queensland. PHOTO: Dan Costello.That heat, eight days ago, saw Argyle (racing in Grant Dixon’s black and white chequers) finish 13 metres behind fast pacer Frankie Ferocious and just six metres behind Manila Playboy in a 1:54 mile rate, the winner home in 55.2.

Dux said despite looking for an easier option for Argyle’s resumption, none of the weaker mid-week races stood up.

Argyle is the second highest rated horse in tonight’s band 5 event and to get him into the race Dux had to engage a junior claimer in Alanah Richardson.

But while Richardson has 121 wins to her credit she’ll need plenty of luck from two on the second row to feature in the finish.

“It will come down to where he lands and what sort of trip he gets, but I expect him to race well.”

Argyle, who has won three of his eight races in Queensland for Lincoln Farms, clocked his best time in his second last start, with a mile rate of 1:51.9 for the 1660 metres.

Argyle races at 9.14pm NZ time at Albion Park tonight.Argyle races at 9.14pm NZ time at Albion Park tonight.

Our runners this week

Friday night at Auckland

Johnny Lincoln, Tyson, Leo Lincoln, Kevin Kline.

Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them

Ray Green

Ray’s comments

Thursday night at Cambridge

Race 2: The Rascal
6.05pm

“He’s training very well and has had two workouts. He’s improving all the time and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was in the fray first-up.”

Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.30pm

“He’ll go better left-handed and it’s a weaker race than Auckland, of course. He’s gone good races in much better company and, with a reasonable trip from six, he should be quite competitive.”

Race 5: Dreams Of Eric
7.20pm

“I expect him to be in it from the inside draw. You can’t fault what he’s done recently and he could easily win.”

Race 5: Im Not The Maid
7.20pm

“She was well driven in the amateurs’ race last time (by John Kriechbaumer). That’s the type of drive she needs. She’s shown she can’t burn the candle at both ends.”

Dan Costello Race Photography