Louie The Punter, outer, is right there last week after a shocking run.
Mark: Louie’s the one for Punters - he needs only average luck on Friday night to score
By Barry Lichter • 5 May 2022
Louie The Punter’s massive last start performance has left trainer Mark Dux confident he can win another four of five races in Queensland before the going gets tougher.
And the winning should start in the third race at Albion Park on Friday night even though the horse starts from the outside of the second row.
The Sweet Lou four-year-old could not have been more impressive in only his second race in Brisbane last week when he was badly inconvenienced at the start and came from last to go under by only half a neck, a nose and a short half head.
Dux had been hoping Louie would trail Congo Line all the way but when that horse crawled out of the pole, then galloped, forcing driver Pete McMullen to take evasive action and go round him, it looked curtains.
But when the pace dropped away in the second quarter to a pedestrian 32, McMullen got on his bike, starting a long three wide run from the rear.
And despite not getting any cover, the horse kept coming, looking a distinct danger up the straight.
The long green arrow alongside Louie The Punter’s name shows he made up 18 metres on the leader in the last 800 metres.Louie The Punter’s superior sectionals underlined the enormity of his effort, his 55.43 and 28.54 seeing him make up 18 metres on the leader over the last 800 metres.
“How far would we have won by if he’d trailed?” Dux said. “Pete was impressed and he should be very tough to beat on Friday night with even average luck. He just needs no bad luck like last time.
“I’m very happy with the horse, he pulled up well, and on last week’s effort he’ll win a few more races no trouble.”
Only one horse in Friday’s race has a higher rating than Louie The Punter (NR57) but Mach Brilliance (NR62) has drawn the outside of the arm.
Louie The Punter races at 8.25pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday night.
More news in Harness
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Ray cautions punters with no lead this time for Jekyll and Hyde colt Prince Lincoln
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.”
