Argyle (Angus Garrard) scores in style at Albion Park two starts back. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Frustrated Mark on those draws: Too tough for Nemo and Argyle’s likely to have to sit parked
By Barry Lichter • 19 October 2023
The barrier draws look set to dictate the fortunes of Lincoln Farms’ pair Captain Nemo and Argyle at Albion Park on Saturday night.
The luckless Captain Nemo is virtually out for the count after drawing five on the second row in the opening race and Argyle, while tidily spotted in two in the second race, will probably have to sit parked in the second race outside leader and likely winner Awaywego.
Trainer Mark Dux cursed when Nemo drew 12 on Saturday night, just eight days after he lost all chance when his wheel was struck 1400 metres out and his trye punctured and wrapped round the rim, forcing driver Jordan Topping to retire him from the race.
“I think he would nearly have won last week but it’s not looking good from 12 this week.”
Dux says the opposition in the band 5 race would have been hard enough without faring so badly in the random draw.
“If it had been only a mile with three on the second row maybe he’d have had a chance but it’s going to be really tough for him now.
“It’s so frustrating. He’s going well and looks terrific but now he’s totally reliant on what sort of a run he gets.”
At first glance, Argyle, as the equal top-rater in the second race, looks a royal winning show but Dux, who knows the racing patterns of the opposition so well, can see exactly what will happen.
“Pete McMullen will lead on the one horse (Awaywego) without doubt and it looks like we’ll have to sit parked. He’s strong enough to do it but can we sit outside him and beat him? Probably not on their runs last time.”
Twelve days ago when Awaywego came out fast and sat parked outside the leader Luvbite, Argyle enjoyed a perfect one-out-one-back trail yet photo-finished Awaywego only a nose.
“Awaywego has the most gate speed in the race and because he’s the leader, he’s the one to beat. If he had drawn anywhere else I’d have had no hesitation in saying we could beat him.”
Dux can’t see much gate speed wider on the front line, barring Daniel Boom.
“They like to go forward on him and, if he did, we might be lucky enough to get the one-one. But he knows at best he’s going to be outside the leader.
“Everything is in favour of Awaywego. Coming back to the mile will suit him too.”
Tommy close
Dux is pleased with the progress of his third Lincoln Farms’ charge Tommy Lincoln, who hasn’t raced for six months.
“He’s coming along well and I’ll trial him in two to three weeks.”
Dux is hoping to sneak Tommy Lincoln into the Ladbrokes Interdominion series which starts at Albion Park in 42 days on December 1. But he’ll have to raise his current ranking of 48th to make the 36-horse cut.
“He won’t have time for a lot of racing before the series comes around. I’ll have to give him a couple of trials. We can’t go in underdone, thinking we can keep up with them.”
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Two (not so) secret weapons help Lincoln Farms to $29,287 payday at Cambridge
Deb dresses her latest ‘Copy’ weanling in white and he delivers a Major coup
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
