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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Dr Green goes to work on mentally fragile Tyson hoping to pen better script for Friday
Ray tells why he rates Lincoln Lou clearly best of Lincoln Farms’ quartet in the fourth race
It’s all up to Angus - Brisbane’s young gun needs to drive a pearler on Nemo at Redcliffe
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Mark Dux’s comments
Wednesday night at Redcliffe
Race 1: Captain Nemo
7.17pm NZ time
“It’s a reasonable field, they’re not push-overs, but they’re all beatable. It will all come down to who gets the right trip. If we have something go our way we could get some of it as there’s not a lot between them and I don’t think he’s far off now. We’ve got a bad draw again and there’s a bit of speed inside us so I’ll tell Angus to just play it by ear.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln La Moose
7.32pm
“He’s a pretty good horse. He was still below his best last time at Cambridge - he needed the race - but went very well for second behind King’s Watch. With his ace draw, he should be right up there for Zac (Butcher). He always looked a bit delicate but he’s got tougher.”
Race 4: Obadiah Dragon
7.32pm
“He’ll go a good race but our others look better here. His last run was below par for him so we took a blood off him and he had a bit of a virus going on. He was at the tail end of it but it was enough to stop him.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.32pm
“Even if he’s half a run short, I don’t think it will matter, he’ll still be too good for this lot. He only had a mild virus which came right with treatment and he’s trained on well since. He feels pretty good and if I was betting man, I’d bet him for sure based on his last run, which was massive.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.32pm
“He’s in a ‘coming of age’ phase. He rushed up beside them last start and wanted to lay all over them and give them a hug. But that’s normal coltish behaviour. He does that in training as well, rushes up and switches off. He has a lot of ability but also a few little behaviour traits that we need to get on top of.”
Race 6: My Copy
8.24pm
“It won’t be easy from four on the second row but he’s very honest and, if opportunity knocks, he’ll be right there. If he gets a trip, he’s always ready to pounce.”
Race 9: Tyson
9.39pm
“He should be one of the favourites. The raw ability is there and he’ll definitely win races as he has a bit of speed. How far he will take us we have yet to find out but I thought he did really well last time given the run he had.”
