Young gun Garrard finally gets a good draw with unlucky Captain Nemo on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 26 January 2024
Captain Nemo, who looked a certainty beaten in his last start, finally lands a good draw at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Young gun driver Angus Garrard’s first words to trainer Mark Dux on bringing Captain Nemo back last Saturday night were that the horse should have won, and won easily.
Taken back from five on the gate, Nemo ended up four deep on the markers and was full of running when Garrard eased him into the running line just before the home turn.
But there was no way through for Garrard up the entire home straight and for the last 100 metres he had the horse under a hold, hard on the backs of the first two home.
Angus Garrard drove his 700th winner at Redcliffe on Thursday night. PHOTO: Dan Costello.Garrard, 20, who notched his 500th winner on Captain Nemo in December, 2022 and on Thursday reined home win No. 700, has a much kinder draw of two this week from where Dux expects him to either lead or, more likely trail.
“We should cross the one (Blackjack Bart) and whether we hold will depend on how fast Parama comes out. He won well the other day.”
Dux believes Nemo is in the top three chances but rates Red Right Hand the one to beat.
“He’s been flying and, like us, hasn’t had much luck. And he’s down in grade. If we get behind one of those two we’ll get a nice trip.
“We could even hold the lead if they don’t charge out. At least we have a couple of options.”
Dux says Captain Nemo has done well since his race last week and he believes he has most of the others covered over the 2138 metres in what is a good band 5 event.
Dux says he’ll be surprised if Argyle doesn’t go well too in the fifth race, despite drawing three on the second row.
Driven conservatively last week in his first run for six weeks, when well short of a run, Argyle finished only eighth but still clocked excellent figures.
His sectionals of 30.28, 30.94, 27.54 and 27.56 nearly matched those of the winner Catseye Beach (30.45, 30.94, 27.71 and 27.23), his last half of 55.1 little inferior to the winner’s 54.94.
Given Catseye Beach was in front and on the markers, Argyle’s effort was solid as he covered 21 metres more in the running.
“He pulled up well and I think he’s a good hope. The alley’s not so nice but if we have to use him at some stage to put him in the race, we probably will.
“If he’d drawn well you’d think he was a winner but I still think he’ll finish thereabouts and is a top three chance. The harder they go, the better for us, and I can see Pete McMullen launching on Jaccka Wally.”
Captain Nemo races at 9.45pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Argyle races at 10.50pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
