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.
More news in Harness
After 40 years in the sulky, Fergie’s just loving his renaissance in the lincoln green silks
Big-spending Mike Tanev snares The Rascal and he’s off to Canada next week
Dreams Of Eric goes from black and blue to blue and white, now for Harness 5000
Watch this workout and you’ll see why Ray’s rapt to see Debbie back at Auckland on Friday
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Dreams Of Eric
5.19pm
“I think he’s a good each-way chance again. I don’t think it’s any harder than the field he beat last week. He’s trained on pretty well. I can’t fault him in any way. He’s got the gate speed to lead but I’ll leave it up to the driver.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Tyson
5.39pm
“Ferg said he was full of running last week but he couldn’t get a run. He’s pretty versatile and should go close again.”
Race 3: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.40pm
“He was starved for racing room up the home straight and finished hard on the winner’s back. You’d have to rate him a decent winning chance.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.40pm
“We had to stop on her after problems with tie-up and a virus but she seems pretty good now. There’s obviously room for improvement but I’m picking she’ll go pretty well. She’s a very nice filly.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.40pm
“If she can get a run on the favourite’s back, she could get some of it as she’s a very honest filly. She hasn’t really settled down since her last prep - she’ll always be a little hot, it’s her nature - but she’s trialling well enough.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.40pm
“She seems to be getting round the corners well now that she’s a bit stronger and she trialled super behind Miki Doo.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
8.06pm
“I have a lot of time for Kev. He’s a very nice horse, which you can see by the form line. I’m sure he’ll be thereabouts again, even against Mantra Blue and Lady Of The Light.”
Race 8: The Rascal
9.05pm
“He’ll be scratched. He’s been sold to Canada.”
