Captain Nemo can bark out the orders again at Albion Park on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 13 January 2023
Lincoln Farms’ warrior Captain Nemo looks well placed to score back-to-back wins at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Trainer Mark Dux reports the five-year-old has felt “a million dollars” since his courageous win last Saturday night.
And, after downing a band 5 field last week he drops to a weaker class of up-to-rating 80 horses, which will see him clearly the one to beat, says Dux.
“He’ll be a $2 favourite and rightly so. He’s the highest rated in the field and has been beating better horses lately.”
Nemo is eligible for the race only through the engagement of claiming driver Justin Elkins but Dux says he’ll lose nothing on that score.
“Justin has driven a few winners for me lately and he’ll listen and besides there’s nothing in the field to be scared of.
Laid-back Captain Nemo is doing just enough to hold his rivals last Saturday night.“More than likely he’ll cross from six and then he should win and, even if he sits parked, he’ll probably still win.”
Captain Nemo showed he was right back to his best last week when he worked hard to park before taking the lead at the bell and holding his opposition with a minimum of effort to take the 2138 metre race in a 1:55.6 mile rate.
He drops back to the shorter 1660 metres on Saturday, the distance at which he all but caught hot pot Targaryen two starts back in a 1:53.4 mile rate.
Earlier in the night Tommy Lincoln faces another difficult test, drawn four in the free-for-all class race against the better performed pair Turn It Up and Blacksadance. “Tommy just can’t get a draw. He won’t cross Deus Ex in in one but if he can get in front of the other ones inside him he should end up getting cover.”
Dux expects Turn It Up to use his superior gate speed to cross to the front and at some stage he says Blacksadance should roll round to be outside the leader.
“It will come down to how soon Tommy gets cover. I just hope Blacksadance comes early and not at the half. Tommy can sit parked but he’s not quite so effective there.
“With luck he can finish top three or four. He can’t be going any better than he is and they’re not lengths better than him.”
Last week Tommy ran out of his skin, powering up to find the breeze and fighting right to the wire just 2.5 metres fourth to Rock Bottom.
Tommy Lincoln races at 10.06pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Captain Nemo races at 12.36pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
Spiritual Bliss and Lincoln Maree add to Lincoln Farms’ gallery of Manawatu heroes
Video clue on why Lincoln Lover is tipped to go boldly fresh-up at Auckland on Friday night
A picture of Bliss but poor Harry’s arms were nearly pulled out of their sockets
Ultra-consistent Kevin Kline sold to the United States: Why Ray’s sorry to lose him
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.25pm
“She won well on the first day but pulled very hard - Harry said his arms were that tired afterwards he couldn’t have lifted a 1kg dumb bell. She’s meeting a few nice ones here, up in grade, but she’s drawn better so you can’t count her out. She tries hard and really digs in.”
Race 7: Lincoln Downs
7.50pm
“She did everything right on Tuesday but she blew heavily afterwards and I think the heat got to her. She’s a place chance if she recovers OK.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.22pm
“She was jumping shadows on Tuesday and moves to the last race this time but she’s not the most genuine so I’m not holding my breath.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.28pm
“He hasn’t raced for three months but trialled really well. I pick he’s going to win one pretty quickly and, given he’s been running against the best two-year-olds in his previous preps, it should really be on Friday night. This lot of maidens aren’t in the same class and he’s as honest as they come, a tough little trier.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s really up against it from the outside of the second line, with all the favourites drawn well. She has to be the unluckest animal on the planet. With her, what can go wrong will. Even at the best of times you need a reasonable draw to figure but drawn in the bondocks here she’ll need incredible luck.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.09pm
“He had a short break while some vet work was done but is in good trim. Yes, there are a few in here that are vastly higher rated but his formline says it all - it’s not often he doesn’t get a cheque.”
Race 8: Tyson
9.09pm
“He was a bit unlucky last week that he didn’t get to them a bit sooner otherwise I think he would have won. Maurice said he thought they’d come back to him more, going 2:39 speed, but his closing sectionals were easily the best in the race.”
Race 10: Prince Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s grown into a beautiful horse, a quality looking colt, and who knows what he could be. He’ll obviously improve with the run but I still expect him to run well from his good draw. He trialled very well behind a good one.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly in seven, which gives Prince Lincoln the edge, but he too was making good ground in the workout.”
