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
By Barry Lichter • 25 February 2024
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
‘The Kid’ flying but Argyle up against it to add good points in novel drivers’ challenge
Street’s emotion-charged night in the winners’ room - sad loss before a record four wins
It’s green jackets all the way and Ray fancies improving surprise packet Prince Lincoln
The Lincoln Wave secret is well and truly out now, but who was that mystery underbidder?
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Debbie Lincoln
5.26pm
“She had to sit parked most of the way last time but still went well, and that’s what she does. She’s proven to be a very promising filly and, while it’s hard these days to win without a good trip, it’s an even field and she’s a good chance again.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lou
5.55pm
“He probably cost himself a win last week by going roughly, but he can do that. If he’d got Frisco Bay’s trip he would have won with his closing quarters of 56 and 27 the fastest in the race. He’s just got to do things right to be the one to beat, even from the bad draw, as it’s an easier field.”
Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.30pm
“He’s up in grade a bit but I don’t think there’s anything between them. He’s just got to get the right run and, with his speed, he’ll be right in it.”
Race 6: Kevin Kline
7.59pm
“He’s no superstar but he’s very honest and he’s always a place chance as he’s a tough bugger, he sat parked last week.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.59pm
“With a similar run to last week, he’d be right in it. He clocked 55.8 and 27.7, doing his best work at the finish. He hasn’t gone a bad race since he’s come back.”
Race 8: Prince Lincoln
8.59pm
“I wasn’t expecting him to do anything on debut as he’s a green, young horse. But he went very well so he’s obviously lifted his game for the occasion. And he’s trained on even better so the experience has enhanced him. From the inside he has to be a good chance.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.59pm
“She’s definitely a better animal left-handed but she was passable right-handed and should go better this time. She’s got some speed.”
Race 8: Lincoln Downs
8.59pm
“She’s a nice filly but is behind the others. I don’t expect her to beat anything but she needs the experience.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
8.59pm
“There won’t be any shadows for her to jump this time so she has to be a serious chance. She’d been dominant at the workouts and trials before her debut but didn’t get the chance to show her true worth.”
Race 8: Lincoln Lover
8.59pm
“Fergie was quite impressed with him on debut and requested the drive again. He finished on strongly up the lane and should go well again. He just needs some luck from the outside of the gate.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 3: Argyle
9.04pm NZ time
“I thought his last two starts have been terrific. There’s no doubt this race is tougher, and he has trickier draw, but I was talking to Angus last night and he was quite upbeat about his chances. He said the horse gave him a good feel when he sat parked two starts back and he picked him too (in the draft). But it won’t be easy. There could be a bit of pressure early. I think he’ll come out and see what unfolds and, if there is too much pressure, he’ll drive him quietly.”
Ray’s comments
Sunday at Manawatu
Race 1: Onyx Shard
5.29pm
“You can put a line through her last run at Cambridge when she pulled up showing signs of a respiratory infection. She had a couple of weeks off after that and, while she hasn’t trialled since, she’s been training down nicely. She’s a nice filly and from the good draw should really win.”
Race 3: Lincoln La Moose
6.19pm
“He wasn’t far away in the amateur race at Auckland last time despite jumping a shadow early and galloping. This is a decent drop in class for him and he should be very competitive.
