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Argyle goes wire-to-wire in 1:51.9 at Albion Park last Saturday night.

Rookie Rothwell can do a good job on Argyle - but it’s a strong line-up on Saturday night

Trainer Mark Dux is confident 21-year-old rookie Nathan Rothwell can do a good job behind Argyle at Albion Park on Saturday night.

Dux is using the claiming junior to allow Argyle to race in band 5 again, despite scoring a powerful all-the-way win in the same grade last week.

And after drawing well in gate two for the 2138 metre event, Dux says both driver and horse are up to the task, despite some strong opposition.

Nathan Rothwell … has driven 79 winners.Nathan Rothwell … has driven 79 winners.“Nathan is one of the leading five claiming drivers at the moment and I’m sure he’ll do the job.

“He’s been driving quite a few winners for Jack Butler in the last few months.”

Rothwell who drove 42 winners in 2023, and now has a career tally of 79, drove a treble at Redcliffe in February and was recently named one of two rookies of the year by the Breeders, Owners, Trainers and Reinspersons Association of Queensland.

Argyle, too, has been in his best form, capping a run of outstanding sectional times with a 1660 metre win over Glover and Stormtide last Saturday night in a sharp 1:51.9 mile rate.

How he fares on Saturday night will probably be decided in the first 200 metres of the race, says Dux.

“We have a good draw but the one inside us, Aroda, is a nice horse and he has enough speed to hold us if Grant (Dixon) wants to.

“But Grant has (one of the favourites) Mossdale Terry on his back and might hand to Argyle (to put his rival deep).

“We’ll come off the gate and have a look and, now we have a bit of respect, there is some hope they’ll let us go.”

Query over fast beginners

Dux suspects two fast beginners drawn out wide may not be used up this week.

Bangkok Deejay, who starts in four, was burned out of the gate last week and finished down the track, and the smart Teddy Disco is having his first race for more than three months.

Though he has won two recent trials, Dux says Teddy Disco may not be gassed early first-up, especially as his connections have bigger races in mind for him.

“He has a junior on as well, not his usual driver. But if he does launch, he might have enough speed to cross and Grant might hand.”

Predicting what will happen is tricky, says Dux - “there could be a lot of pressure or very little” - but so long as Argyle isn’t driven too hard early for too long, he should feature again.

“What kills you is too fast a lead time, but if we have a look in the first furlong then don’t be silly, I think he’ll race well. We’ll get a nice enough run even if we have to sit parked.

“There’s not a lot between them - Wisper A Secret, on the second line, is a really nice horse too - so it will come down to who gets the best run.”

Four races later, Lincoln Farms’ stablemate Captain Nemo resumes off a two-month break, Dux thinking with an ounce of luck he can hit the line hard, possibly earning a cheque.

“Five is a tricky draw. I’ll leave it up to Angus (Garrard) to judge how he gets off the gate but I don’t want to see him burn too hard. He’s not ready to be carved up.

“It will come down to what happens in the run. It’s only a good, average field but we could end up settling eighth or ninth and, if they only go steady, we’d be out of it.”

Argyle races at 8.41pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday. night.Argyle races at 8.41pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday. night.Captain Nemo races at 10.55pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.Captain Nemo races at 10.55pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.

Our runners this week

Friday night at Auckland

What’s Up The Hill.

Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Tuesday twilight at Manawatu

Race 3: Onyx Shard
5.09pm

“She’s working really well and, from the good draw, hopefully she can run a drum. The field’s not that much harder than the one she beat last time at Manawatu (when parked for the last lap).”

Race 3: Kevin Kline
5.09pm

“We’re very happy with him - he’s come back a better horse. He went well at Auckland last start and is working well. We’ll be looking to go forward from the gate and hopefully get a gun run through behind Onyx Shard. On ability, he’s the better chance of the two.”

Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.39pm

“He stepped like a bullet in his first go from a stand here in March. I thought he’d do the same on the second day but he galloped. We’ve got an overcheck on and hopple shorteners on Tuesday so he should make a good beginning. If he can step and lead, then maybe take a trail, he should be hard to beat. He likes it down there where the track is quite soft.”

Nathan Delany

Nathan’s comments

Thursday night at Manawatu

Race 3: Onyx Shard
6.04pm

“I thought I had Kevin Kline covered on Tuesday when we got to the straight because she was really travelling but he kicked away on us. It would be nice if she can get out of the gate as well again - she has good gate speed - and, if she does, she can get some of it again.”

Race 3: Kevin Kline
6.04pm

“He was too good for them on Tuesday, thanks to a great Fergy drive, and he’s in the same field again this time. The extra distance and wide draw shouldn’t make much of a difference and he’s our best of the night.”

Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.02pm

“He’ll be hard to beat again if he steps like he did on Tuesday. The 10 metre handicap shouldn’t stop him. I think he’s even better if he follows something and the extra 500 metres isn’t a worry.”

Dan Costello Race Photography