‘We’ve found Nemo’, fizzes commentator, after enormous run by Lincoln Farms’ weirdo
By Barry Lichter • 3 August 2021
About the only person who thought Captain Nemo could still win at Albion Park tonight despite being hung out three wide outside the leaders for the entire last lap was his former trainer Ray Green.
Back home in Pukekohe after a successful Brisbane campaign when Captain Nemo sat on the sideline there almost the entire time, Green watched the race with wife Debbie who, like most punters, declared he was history 600 metres out.
“But I told her he’d still win. He’s a strange horse with an unusual racing style and he loves a fight like that. He just sits outside them and says ‘stuff you’.”
Captain Nemo, now in the hands of Brisbane trainer Mark Dux, did just that, hitting the lead soon after turning for home and powering to a 3.3 metre win over Recipe For Dreaming.
The enormity of the win didn’t escape commentator Chris Barsby who noted the three-year-old ran a middle 800 metres in a sizzling 56.9.
“We’ve found Nemo,” Barsby said in reference to the Disney film Finding Nemo. “That was some win. He’s put them away easily.”
Green said he actually cursed driver Paul Diebert when he took the horse right back to the rear from his outside draw where he also copped a check from a galloping rival.
Captain Nemo toughs it out at Albion Park tonight after sitting three wide without cover for the last lap.“The horse has no gate speed but I thought he should have gone forward straight away. He mooches round, can sit two or three wide, doesn’t over-race, and worries them out of it.
“He just wouldn’t have understood what he had - that kind of run would put most horses to bed. But he’ll know the horse better next time.”
Green said Captain Nemo, who accompanied Copy That, American Dealer and Tommy Lincoln to Brisbane but raced only once, is capable of winning a lot of money in Queensland.
“He’s no champion but if he’s managed properly, and I’m sure he will be, he could win a lot of races.”
Green believed the horse hung so badly in his first race there in late June because he was hurting from tying-up.
“He has tied up on us in the past. Tie-up is a strange thing, nobody knows why horses do it and there are an enormous amount of theories about it. It could be hereditary. You just have to manage it.
“We changed his diet so he has no high energy feed at all. And he’s been trained out of the paddock for the last few weeks so he could mooch around a lot.
“He’s come right now and should be in for a good time over there. He’s better than what he’s shown.”
Tonight’s win was Captain Nemo’s sixth and earned $4568 for Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street and their partners Gareth Paddison, the Green Machine Syndicate, Grant Dickey, Peter Dougherty and Ian Middleton.
The Captaintreacherous - Arden Caviar colt started a $7 fourth favourite, and ran the 2138 metres in 2:36.3, a mile rate of 1:57.6.
More news in Harness
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Ray doesn’t pull any punches about Sugar Ray but punters weigh in nonetheless
Partners and pedigree made Johnny Lincoln’s win special - but where was everyone?
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Im Not The Maid
5.14pm
“She went pretty well last week considering they came a fast last half (56.3) and she sat parked from the 800. She’s back to the amateur grade, and should get a good run from the two draw, so hopefully we can get a bit of cash.”
Race 4: Dreams Of Eric
6.38pm
“He didn’t handle the right-handed bends at Auckland last week (galloping at the 300) so we’ll stick to Cambridge from now on. There’s a bit of gate speed in the race so Harry (Harrison Orange) should be able to sit in somewhere. I think he’s a good chance to run top three.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.59pm
“He’s racing very well. He would have run second last week (to American Me) had he not spooked at the winning post. These are tidy horses he’s racing against but he’s holding his own.”
Race 1: Kevin Kline
5.59pm
“He’ll go better back to a mobile start. He did well to finish so close last week after a slow start than having to do all the donkey work when parked for the last lap. Maurice really likes him because he just puts him into cruise control and he keeps going.”
Race 3: Lincoln Downs
6.58pm
“She’s not as good as the other filly but some lift their game when the money’s up so maybe she can pick up a cheque.”
Race 3: Lincoln’s Spice
6.58pm
“She looks a pretty decent chance of winning. She’s a real little tradesman, does nothing wrong, is easy to handle, is a nice drive, tries hard, is great gaited and has the potential to get stronger.”
Race 5: Tyson
7.51pm
“We found out he raced with a virus last time. The next morning snot was pouring out his nose and that’s why he didn’t finish it off as well as we expected. He only whacked away in the run home. With that gone, he should race better.”
Race 5: Johnny Lincoln
7.51pm
“I think he’ll be competitive and he’s the best of ours in the race. He won well last week and has trained on well. He’s promising. I couldn’t go as far as to say he’s a classic colt yet but we’ll find out soon enough.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.51pm
“He’s doing my head in. He had no excuse for breaking last week. Maurice (McKendry) didn’t blame the wet track. He said he was gliding along, travelling beautifully, when for no apparent reason he put in big steps. I’ll put a hood on him this time to see if it’s a nervous issue.”
Race 8: The Rascal
9.23pm
“All going well, he should win what is a poor maiden field. He’s elevated himself from the transfer list and is going well now. He doesn’t have huge gate speed, so he may not lead but he should get a good trip from one. On paper, he’s our best chance of the night.”
