Layne Dwyer is still at school but has driven 30 winners in the last eight months.
Tricky draw for Nemo and young Layne but they can get some of it with luck in the run
By Barry Lichter • 20 December 2023
A wide barrier draw will make things tough for Captain Nemo and his young driver Layne Dwyer at Albion Park on Friday night but he’s racing well enough to get some of the money, says trainer Mark Dux.
Captain Nemo is the second highest rated pacer in the opening race but will score up for 16-year-old Dwyer from six on the gate. And Dux says that means the junior claimer will have to play it by ear on whether he lets the horse run the gate or look for a trail.
“He’ll have to make that decision on how he feels but I’m picking they’ll roll along a bit.
“R Eleven Art, who has drawn inside him, is going better than his form suggests and I can see Angus Garrard pressing forward on him. He can run a bit of time too.
“The other main one he has to beat is The Tax Cullector, who won Argyle’s race the other night and hit the line well. But he’s got the 10 alley.”
Dux says just like last week when young drivers’ championship rep Emily Suvaljko baled out of the early rush on Nemo because they were going at lunatic speed, Dwyer might have to do the same.
“He just doesn’t want too far back because if they run home quick he’ll be in trouble.
“Nemo has never been a horse to run the bends well - he always hangs a bit. He could have run a place last week, instead of finishing fourth (in a 1:52.8 mile rate), had he not lost so much ground on the turn.
“He’s definitely a hope, as he’s done well since, but it’s just a matter of where he lands.”
Dwyer, a son of Brisbane trainer Graham Dwyer, is the minimum age that a harness driver can be in Australia and wasted no time in landing his first winner in April, just 13 days after being licensed. He is still at school but has driven 30 winners in the last eight months and has piloted Nemo once before, in September. After starting from the inside of the second row, he was buried four deep and held up early in the run home, but finished fast when clear for a close fifth.
Dux reports Argyle will be fit to race on Saturday week after a minor foot issue on race morning cost him a start last week.
“He came out of his box on Saturday morning and couldn’t walk properly. His leg was up, whether some moisture got into a little crack in his foot, I’m not sure. “Once it was cleaned up it quickly got better and he’s fine now.”
Dux said he’s waiting to consult the vet about the future of Tommy Lincoln after his leg was scanned in his absence yesterday, the suspicion he has a tendon injury.
Captain Nemo races at 8.48pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday night.
More news in Harness
Friday night’s main event: In the blue corner, Tyson, in the red corner, Sugar Ray
After 40 years in the sulky, Fergie’s just loving his renaissance in the lincoln green silks
Big-spending Mike Tanev snares The Rascal and he’s off to Canada next week
Dreams Of Eric goes from black and blue to blue and white, now for Harness 5000
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”
