Up periscope! The real Captain Nemo surfaces and he’s primed for Albion Park on Tuesday
By Barry Lichter • 4 September 2023
Captain Nemo’s terrific first-up run suggests he needs only an ounce of luck to score at Albion Park on Tuesday.
Trainer Mark Dux predicted Captain Nemo was ready to run a big race when two weeks ago he resumed from a four-month spell.
But Nemo’s huge effort to go under by just half a neck and a head at odds of 40-to-one exceeded even his expectations.
“I thought he’d race well given how well he was working but he was obviously going to be better for the run.
They’re spread right across the track but Captain Nemo, third from the outside, gets up for third.“He went super and he pulled up well. I couldn’t be more pleased with him.
“He’s got an ordinary draw tomorrow but the main dangers are on the back row with us so I’m sure he’ll acquit himself well.”
Captain Nemo’s dangers - Big Shadow and Miss Mucho - have drawn either side of him in the up-to-75 rating race, a step down on the up-to-90 class the five-year-old contested first-up.
The distance extends to 2138 metres on Tuesday but that can only help Nemo - five of his seven wins in the state have been over the longer trip than last week’s 1660 metres.
“It will come down to luck in the running but the way he raced the other day he’s a realistic winning chance.”
Nemo’s Lincoln Farms-owned stablemate Argyle will trial either this Friday or next week while Tommy Lincoln comes back into work on Tuesday.
Captain Nemo races at 7.47pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
More news in Harness
Lincoln Wave poised for cheeky showing at Auckland on Friday night despite ratings
Prince has timekeepers reaching for record books again but where does his future lie?
Prince Lincoln spearheads record-sized team for Lincoln Farms at Cambridge on Friday
Ray cautions punters with no lead this time for Jekyll and Hyde colt Prince Lincoln
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Jessie Lincoln
5.44pm
“She normally runs on better but, after looking like she was going to round them up on the turn last week, she just flattened out. But she’ll be hovering around there somewhere.”
Race 5: Lincoln Maree
6.55pm
“She’s such a tough little filly who tries so hard. I wish I had one with speed with those qualities. It would be nice if they go hard, and she gets a suck along, then she might get a small piece of it. She never goes a bad race.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
6.55pm
“She’s been going all right but she keeps getting awkward draws and getting pushed back to the rear. Because of her initial success (as a two-year-old) she’s been badly off in the ratings but she’s slowly losing points.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
6.55pm
“He’s a serious winning chance. He’ll go forward from his outside gate and try to dominate again in front. He’s not just winning, he’s demolishing them.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.45pm
“He got fired up at Cambridge with the long delay and, after he went forward to get a position, Fergie was just a passenger. When they pull that hard they don’t run on. He’s been racing well and can’t be ruled out if he gets a good trip.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.45pm
”If he gets a half decent trip, he’s the one to beat. Ignore the Cambridge run last week from a stand. We know what he can do from the mobile.”
