Captain Nemo … looks a class above his rivals on Thursday night. PHOTO: Trish Dunell.
With a better draw, Captain Nemo’s set to make amends at Cambridge on Thursday
By Barry Lichter • 13 January 2021
The barrier draw beat Captain Nemo last week at Cambridge but he looks very hard to beat there on Thursday night from a better alley.
Lincoln Farms’ talented three-year-old is sure to touch a short price in the last race of the night when he leaves from five, a far more competitive position than the outside of the arm.
Captain Nemo didn’t help himself by scoring up greenly last week and was forced to make a mid-race move three wide from the back to park 850 metres from home.
He fought bravely in the run home, holding off two challengers for second, but was no match for Dixie Reign, five lengths behind at the line.
Trainer Ray Green says Captain Nemo clearly stands out on Thursday in a lowly rating 40 to 47 race.
“He’s in with average horses and on paper he looks the one to beat. He’s getting fitter and fitter with each run and it’s not a stellar bunch of animals he’s up against.
“He’s a serious winning chance.”
While Captain Nemo has won only one race, at Cambridge, he has regularly taken on the best age group horses in the country and Green believes he will develop into a more than useful type for part-owner and noted golfer Gareth Paddison.
Brodie Lindenny … finally coming to it.Brodie Lindenny has taken much longer than Captain Nemo to develop but makes an overdue debut in the second race.
Green says the Bettor’s Delight three-year-old has taken time to come to it but had finally “put his hand up to say ‘I’m ready’. “He’s very green but he’s got to start somewhere and he’s improving all the time.
“And if he goes as well as he did at the workouts last week he can be in the money.”
Brodie Lindenny, one-one early, went to the lead when left parked and despite racing a little greenly at times put up a good fight when challenged hard 500 meres out by Commander Cathy. Beaten a neck, but well covered, he ran his last 800 metres in 58.7, with the 2050 metres run at a mile rate of 2:03.2.
Green believes Brodie Lindenny, drawn the pole on Thursday, has enough gate speed to hold his own at the start.
“I don’t know how bad the others are but he’s capable of running a place in that field.”
More news in Harness
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$101 winner Lincoln Wave has improved and is worth following in Friday’s derby lead-up
OK Sammy, lightning bolts aside, Ray’s relying on you to do things right this time
Lincoln Dealer has the genes but not the barrier draw for Cambridge debut
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 2: Colonel Lincoln
5.23pm
“He’s come through his two runs well and we can be bolder with him from a front row draw.”
Race 2: Sugar Ray Lincoln
5.23pm
“He’s in good shape and you can’t fault what he’s doing. I don’t think the (seven) draw should make a lot of difference - he’s been parked in his last two and still got money. You wouldn’t take a trifecta without putting him in.”
Race 2: Leo Lincoln
5.23pm
“He’s racing really well and just needs a bit of luck from the second row. He’s trained on well and should go well again. ”
Race 4: Rivergirl Bella
6.27pm
“She only has a little sprint but, if she doesn’t have to do too much, she can get home well.”
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.27pm
“She’ll win a race or two, and will get one soon as she’s honest, but she’s still very green. And to be fair to her, she hasn’t had a decent enough run where you can really judge her yet.”
Race 8: Lincoln Wave
8.38pm
“Based on the draws, Sammy looks a better chance than Lincoln Wave. Not many win from out there, especially in a Group I race. But I suppose he had a similar draw at Cambridge (six) and got lucky (squeezing into the trail when Nymbal broke) so you never know what can happen. It won’t be easy for him but it would be nice to see him get a good trip as I think he’ll handle the 2700 metres as well as the others.”
Race 8: Sammy Lincoln
8.38pm
“If he can hold up, that would be marvellous as if anything can give Jumal a fright, it’s him. I know he’s still a maiden but he’s better than most of them ability-wise. He’s a classy big bugger who is very fast and if he ends up on Jumal’s back he’d be dangerous. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the fray as he has such a lot of ability.”
Rac e 10: Prince Lincoln
9.37pm
“If the real Prince Lincoln turned up he’d be in the money, but you never know with him.”
