‘The Kid’ flying but Argyle up against it to add good points in novel drivers’ challenge

He’s got the job ahead of him but trainer Mark Dux is hoping Argyle can outrun his long odds and help keep young gun Angus Garrard at the top of the Ultimate Drivers’ Challenge points table at Albion Park tonight.

“The Kid” took full advantage of his home town knowledge on Friday night, springing to an early lead in the novel championship by winning two of the first four races one, ironically, behind the former Lincoln Farms’ pacer Lenny Lincoln.

And at the end of the night, after another five top-four finishes, Garrard (98) had a five point lead over West Australian star Gary Hall jun. (93) with American-based Kiwi champion Dexter Dunn third on 74 points.

At 21, Garrard is the youngest in the line-up of 10 top drivers from around the world, battling it out over 20 races in Brisbane.

The exciting concept, which saw slot-holders choose both their drivers and each of their charges in a midweek draft, has more than $250,000 up for grabs, the winner receiving $100,000.

Angus Garrard drives Argyle to one of his three Queensland wins. PHOTO: Dan Costello.Garrard, driving for his father Daren’s company Garrads, Sen and the 1Equine syndicate, knows Lincoln Farms’ Argyle intimately, having driven him in all three of his Queensland wins and 19 times in all.

But from a wide gate of six, Argyle is seventh favourite tonight at $27 and Dux says Garrard will need all his skills to gain good points, the band three and four opposition considerably harder than his last-start second in a band five race.

Argyle looked right back to his best in that race last week, enjoying his first good draw since resuming, finishing second after trailing the leader and eventual winner Bretts Red throughout.

“There’s no doubt this race is tougher and he has trickier draw but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft).

“But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”

Long-time supporter

Dux is a long-time supporter of Garrard - “he was always around the track growing up as a kid - and we’ve had a lot of luck with him. He’s driven a lot of winners for a young fella.”

Garrard, closing in on a remarkable milestone of 900 wins, was one of seven individual winners on the first night, the other events going to Dunn (two), Hall jun. (two), Swede Bjorn Goop, Canadian Yannick Gingras and Australians Nathan Dawson and Brad Hewitt.

Garrard has four drives in single figures tonight, the best Rylee Rhayne Bow ($1.85) in race eight, and says he only needs a slice of luck to be close again.

Early betting markets hint at success for Gingras and Goop who both drive two early favourites – Gingras (60 points) on Bronski Zulu ($3.20) in race two and Thesunandthemoon ($1.95) in race six and Goop (59) with Jimartee ($2.45) in race four and Island Bouhinia ($2.40) in race nine.

Dunn also looks nicely poised to bag big points, particularly later in the programme with Risk Taker ($4.50) in race five, Houston Street ($3.30) in race eight, Shackouttheback ($5) in race nine and Joans Rising Star ($2.50) in race 10.

Star Kiwi junior Carter Dalgety, who was run down in the last stride in the opening race on Friday night, had a fruitless time otherwise, finishing mostly with the tailenders, including four lasts.

He languishes in last place on 36 points and looks to have no chance of recovering tonight with only two of his drives in single figures in the betting. His other charges are at $151, $51, $41, $35, $35, $31, $26 and $21.

Argyle races at 9.04pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.