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.”
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Les Harding
Monday at Globe Derby
Race 6: Beaudiene Rocknroll
6.34pm NZ time
This race will tell us how he measures up against the local horses. We decided to go for this lower graded race, despite having lower prize money, instead of going to the trials one more time. He won the second of two trials on April 21, beating race rival Hezrockinroyalty by four metres. Run over 2230 metres he clocked 57.7 for his last half and 1:59.7 for his last mile. From the pole he’ll start short and be hard to beat.
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 7: Lincoln Lou
8.25pm
“He’s a beautiful little horse who doesn’t do anything wrong. He got held up at a crucial time last week and got home well (for sixth). He gets out pretty well so should get a good trip from two. He’ll go his usual honest race. He’s improving all the time, he’s a gutsy little guy, but whether he can measure up to the favourites remains to be seen.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.25pm
“He’s a work in progress and we’re still dabbling with his gear. He’s actually a naturally good-gaited horse, like all the American Ideals, but he’s going through a stage of not really knowing why he’s out there. You just don’t know when he’ll click but three is an ideal draw for him and he should be handy if he does things right.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
9.20pm
“He’s an under-rated horse, as good as those others who are higher rated. He’s proving to be a tidy horse and, while he’s not viewed as a serious player by some, I think he is. He was closing off really well last week behind Hugotastic.”
