Mark: 1:51.9 mile rate shows Argyle’s getting stronger - and there’s more in store

Argyle jumps a grade after his decisive all-the-way win at Albion Park on Saturday night but trainer Mark Dux says he hasn’t finished winning just yet.

Only now, says Dux, are punters starting to see on racenight what the horse shows in training.

“He’s getting stronger and the way he works at home he feels a nicer horse than people have seen at the races.

“For a few seconds early in the stretch last night it looked like he could be in trouble - I wondered if he might wait for them - but he hit the line nicely.”

Once one of Argyle’s main rivals Alta Magacian galloped out of the gate, gifting Argyle an easy lead, Dux says driver Angus Garrard wasn’t frightened to let him roll.

Argyle ran his opening half in 56 and closing half in 56.And with an opening half in 56 and a closing half in exactly the same time, Argyle proved too strong for the late-closing Glover and Stormtide who came off his back, clocking a 1:51.9 mile rate, easily the fastest 1660 metres he’s run in 16 months in Queensland.

Winning his eighth race, Argyle rewarded his followers with a dividend of $2.80, a spoil given Dux couldn’t understand why Always Smokin was sent out favourite despite running behind Argyle last week and drawing worse last night.

Always Smokin’s driver Trent Dawson quickly aborted an early dab for the lead last night when Garrard and Argyle smoked their opening 400 in 27 and the favourite weakened to fifth after sitting parked.

“Times don’t lie and the sectionals he’s been running in recent months have been huge,” Dux said of Argyle.

The Bettor’s Delight five-year-old now advances to a band 4 rating and with most of the higher grade races combined in band 2 to band 4, he’ll soon meet a higher calibre of animal.

“A lot of them are one step off open company. A horse like Northview Hustler, for example, can drop back to band 2 after 10 losses.”

Weirdly it doesn’t matter if a horse runs 10 seconds on end, it still drops back and could draw one in a band 2 to band 4 race.

“But I don’t think we’re finished yet. He’ll be more than competitive in the races coming up.”

Junior claim

Dux will first exercise the option of running Argyle in another band 5 race, using a junior claim.

“It gets us back in the same grade but it’s always a little tricky getting the right junior. I’ve got three or four in mind but some of the better juniors are tied up with the big stables and it’s hard to get them.

“We’ve just got to nominate and hope we get the one we want.”

Dux, however, doesn’t believe Argyle will be too much of a challenge for a junior.

“If they’re a bit too kind he could put it over them but if they’ve got a little bit of aggression it should be OK. He drives pretty well.

“I’ll nominate him for a $20,000 band 5 race next Saturday and see how we go.”

Dux is hoping to retain Garrard when Argyle lines up in a band 4 race, albeit aware the young gun is in high demand.

“Angus drives a lot of band 4 horses and he likes to pick and choose.”

Though Argyle has raced four times in February and five times in March, earning A$24,123, Dux says he continues to thrive.

“We’ll play it by ear with him. At some stage he’ll get tired but, while he’s going well, we’ll keep racing. I couldn’t be happier with him.”

Lincoln Farms’ stablemate Captain Nemo is ready to rumble again too after a break of two months. Balloted out last night, he will again be nominated next week.