
Argyle (Angus Garrard) has the opposition well covered at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Argyle salutes at last and Mark confident he’ll keep the till ticking over in the next grade
Trainer Mark Dux is confident Argyle will remain competitive in the next grade despite taking five months to break his winning duck at Albion Park on Saturday night.
The five-year-old notched the seventh win of his career, but only his second in Brisbane since joining Dux when young gun Angus Garrard blasted him out of the trail turning for home and “put the field away in two hops.”
And while it was 14 starts since his last win, his consistency in having placed in eight of those points to his still being competitive now that he has advanced to band 5 and a rating 80, says Dux.
“He’s not the best horse Lincoln Farms has owned but he’s good and consistent in the right grade. He’s a good, honest horse and if you’ve got to drive him stronger, you can. He’ll keep placing and making money.”
Dux said it was crucial that horses picked up plenty of place money between wins - Argyle’s record now reads seven wins and 15 placings for A$89,343 in stakes.
“You don’t make enough money going bang, bang, bang. All of a sudden you’re in free-for-all grade and you’re not good enough to win any money.
“Who knows, with the right trip he might go bang again in his next start but you always know he’ll go out and race well, he’s never far off.
“He’s done a good job in that grade and he’ll be good in the next class too.”
Dux said after pole runner Mighty George held the lead tonight, allowing Argyle to trail to the turn, it always looked to be his race.
“He had to burn really hard early - they went a 26.7 quarter - and even though they went a bit slow down the back that helped the leader get us to the corner.”
Angus Garrard … has a clear lead in the state premiership. PHOTO: Dan Costello.Garrard aggressive
Garrard, in a typically aggressive drive, didn’t wait for the sprint lane, pushing out into the clear instead.
“Angus said as soon as he pulled out it was all over.”
And while the winning margin was only 2.4 metres, Dux said that was only because Argyle was up to his old tricks of taking his foot off the pedal once he hit the front.
“He chases well but once in front he kind of thinks it’s all over and lets the other ones get up to him.”
Garrard, wise to Argyle’s quirks, kept the favourite going to register his 45th win after only two months of the 2024 season, giving him a 14-win buffer over Nathan Dawson in the state premiership.
With three wins tonight, Garrard (20) has now won 726 races, a remarkable achievement in a short career.
“Angus goes to every meeting he can. It doesn’t matter if it’s a cheap meeting at Redcliffe on a Monday night he’ll go. He’d like 10 drives every night.”
Lincoln Farms’ owners John and Lynne Street race the Bettor’s Delight gelding with David Turner, Barry and Marie Jones and the Friday Frenzy Racing syndicate, comprising Lincoln Farms’ business manager Ian Middleton, former Sylvia Park PAK’nSAVE owner Peter Jeffares, former All Black Bernie McCahill, Harcourts Wellington’s Mike Ledger and PAK’nSAVE ’s Glen Innes boss Rob Redwood.
The Friday Frenzy team bid $26,000 for 20% of Argyle when John Street offered the share to raise money for the Stroke Foundation at a charity auction in November, 2020.
Argyle’s win capped a great day for the Streets after their gallopers Lincoln Falls and Platinum Attack both scored at Otaki.
More news in Harness
Leo Lincoln close to a win: Watch how he copped it early last time at Manawatu
Consisent little Lincoln Lou sold to Western Australia to join fellow ex-Kiwis
Kevin Kline caps record day for Casey and loyal Lincoln Farms’ team - and can repeat
It’s bon voyage Frisky as Ray celebrates another rags to riches sale success
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.44pm
“Fergie’s drive on Sunday was perfect, you couldn’t ask for better, and he said the horse was doing his best work in the last 50 metres. Maybe with another 100 metres he might have got there. His gate speed is only OK so I can see him getting crossed here.”
Race 5: Kevin Kline
6.19pm
“Fergie said he did it easily on the first day, and the horse only did what he had to. He’s been racing much nicer horses at Auckland so it was good to get the win, hopefully it will boost his confidence. I’ll leave the tactics up to Fergie but I imagine he’ll probably do the same thing again, loop the field and outstay them.”
Race 6: Onyx Shard
6.54pm
“I was hoping she’d drop down a grade. She’s had some tough trips recently, having to do a lot of work, and it didn’t help being three wide for the last lap on the first day. Also they only walked and sprinted home. She could be better coming with one run at them.”

Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Lincoln Lover
5.33pm
“He had no chance last start when trapped three wide all the way. That won’t happen this time from the inside draw so that gives him a chance to get some of it.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.33pm
“He’s shown no gate speed so the wide draw doesn’t matter. He’s coming along all right but will need lots of luck against the hot pots.”
Race 5: Debbie Lincoln
6.54pm
“She seems to have overcome her tying-up issue, her bloods are good, and she’s training well again. She could possibly be underdone and the seven draw makes it very hard.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lou
7.20pm
Scratched. Sold to Western Australia.

Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: What’s Up The Hill
3.16pm
“He’s a work in progress. He just needs more practice - you don’t learn much at the trials with only two or three horses. If he trots the whole way, he should be in the money.”
Race 4: Onyx Shard
4.38pm
“We drove her more quietly last time and she finished very well. She got sucked along and did nothing, finishing with plenty of gas in the tank. Ideally she’ll be driven like that again.”
Race 6: Leo Lincoln
5.33pm
“He had his legs taken right out from under him on the first turn last time. He’s racing very well and should be in the money again for sure.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
5.33pm
“We’ve scratched him. He has an abscess in a foot and is quite tender on it.”