Captain Nemo is racing better than his form line indicates.
Nemo can spark up on Tuesday but in-form trainer-tipster Mark says Hy Voltage is the one
By Barry Lichter • 13 November 2023
Hy Voltage looks the logical winner but trainer Mark Dux warns not to write off Captain Nemo’s chances at Albion Park on Tuesday.
As an R70 pacer, Lincoln Farms’ five-year-old doesn’t look well off in the ratings for the up-to-R90 sixth race, seemingly dominated by Hy Voltage (R90) and Surf Ace (R86).
But Dux says the horse is racing well enough to be a really good place chance and even has a winning hope - if things go his way.
“Hy Voltage is the one to beat but, in a small field, I wouldn’t write Nemo off,” said Dux who correctly labelled $9 winner Rock Supreme as a likely winner over Argyle last Saturday night.
With only six rivals, Captain Nemo won’t be far from the leaders even if he is crossed by the two higher class horses, he says.
“Jaccka Wally will lead out from two and I think he’ll hold. The two out wide are the high class horses, Hy Voltage and Surf Ace, and I thought they would go forward, but they probably wouldn’t cross him.”
Dux says he’d like to see driver Grant Dixon put Nemo in a nice spot and give him his chance but the odds are he’ll just come out steadily from four and look for some cover.
“I couldn’t back Surf Ace because he’s too much of a runaway at times, and can choke down, but Hy Voltage is settling a lot better lately and has been racing some of the better free-for-allers.”
Last Friday, Hy Voltage notched his 18th win in a similar up-to-R90 2139 metres, recording a very slick mile rate of 1:53.6. On Tuesday he drops back to 1660 metres, a distance he won over in August rating 1:52.5.
But Dux points to Nemo’s fresh-up third in August, just a head behind Hy Voltage, to illustrate he’s not out of contention on Tuesday.
“He’ll race well.”
Captain Nemo races at 6.37pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
More news in Harness
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Ray: Sammy Lincoln has ‘turned the corner’ and can go on with it on Friday night
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Angelic Copy
4.53pm
“She’s done everything right and trialled really nicely. I think she’s forward enough to give some cheek. She’s only small. You like to think when you get a good two-year-old like her that they’ll get stronger and transition into a nice three-year-old but she hasn’t grown an inch. But she tries hard and enjoys being out there.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.28pm
“I’m looking forward to seeing him. You never really know ’til you get to the races but he’s trialled well enough to start and I wouldn’t be surprised if he went a good race, despite the draw. He’s a nice sensible colt who’s done nothing wrong and he could develop into a really nice three-year-old.”
Race 6: Lincoln Wave
7.22pm
“He was starting to get into the habit of switching off so we trained him in blinds this week and he went pretty well. He was good from a standing start at the trials with shorteners in and Maurice was actually quite bullish about his standing start manners and thinks that, in time, he’ll end up being a quick beginner. If he steps well, and can land in the first one or two, he’ll definitely be hard to get round.”
Race 6: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.22pm
“He’s not spectacular from a stand but he will get away, albeit sometimes a bit slowly. Lincoln Wave has more speed than him but if it comes down to a slugfest he’d be too strong as he’s rock hard fit.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.23pm
“The blinds go back on this week and if he steps and leads like he did three starts ago that would make him the one to beat. He showed with that win that he’s above average and will be a serious chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.23pm
“You could argue she’s a Cambridge horse but sometimes when you throw them in with the bear cats they lift their game and I thought she was really good here last week. Tony (Cameron) said she’d have finished a bit closer too if he hadn’t had to take hold of her close to home (when he ran out of room and hit a marker pole).”
Race 8: Sammy Lincoln
8.23pm
“We’ve got blinds on him this week. Harry said he lost concentration a couple of times last week, including at the top of the straight, and thought he’d be a bit more on to it with blinds on. I still thought his was the run of the race last time - none of the others could have done what he did - and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him score.”
