Argyle will benefit from another conditioning run on Saturday night. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Mark: Flat tyre no help to Argyle when resuming but he’s not ready to launch just yet
By Barry Lichter • 30 January 2025
Argyle didn’t beat a horse home when resuming at Albion Park last Saturday but he still earned a pass mark from trainer Mark Dux after carrying a flat tyre for the last 700 metres.
Dux had not been expecting much from Argyle in his first race for nearly 10 months after a suspensory injury but admits he first thought concession driver Alanah Richardson might have missed the boat at a crucial time.
“She had him ready to go, when (the heavily backed) Congo Line took off but you can see her look down at the tyre.”
Argyle battled away to the line, clocking 56.45 for his last 800 metres, and did not lose much ground on the leaders in finishing 17 metres from ex-Kiwi winner We Always Have Faith.
“I was more than happy with him through the run and he pulled up well, which is the main thing.”
Dux has replaced Richardson with another concession driver in Layne Dwyer this week, but not because she did anything wrong.
“She probably should have gone three fence early - if you’re not on the fence it’s so hard to win races, because they’re running such quick halves every week - but I’d have put her on again if she’d been driving at the meeting.”
Argyle is the second highest ranked horse in the field on an NR83 rating and gets into the band 5 race, courtesy of his junior driver.
Dux has confidence that Dwyer, 17, can do the job with 137 winners to his name.
“He’s driving plenty of winners but he’ll need luck from the bad (six) draw.
“He has no option but to go back, drive him quietly and finish on. The horse is not ready to launch and there’s quite a bit of speed inside him.”
Argyle races at 9.19pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Kevin Kline
4.44pm
“He was held up last week but still got home really well, hard on their backs and, with the right trip, he’ll be dangerous. But the race looks suited to a horse like Hooray Henry who, in a small field, can sit back and outsprint them.
Race 9: Tyson
8.54pm
“We were looking to sit in with him last week but it didn’t work out. He still ran on pretty well as he always does. He just needs a bit of luck.”
Race 9: Debbie Lincoln
8.54pm
“Maurice was happy with her run last week and said she paced strongly through the line. From seven on the gate this week she’ll have to go back but I think she’s better coming from off the pace. She’s a good chance if she can get sucked into it at the right time.”
