Captain Nemo will be driven more quietly out of the gate at Albion Park on Friday. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Captain Nemo rigged for silent running at Albion Park on Friday
By Barry Lichter • 15 September 2021
Captain Nemo is coming off the worst run of his career and is stepping up out of his grade but trainer Mark Dux is still confident he can acquit himself well at Albion Park on Friday.
Stewards ordered a veterinary examination of Captain Nemo after he dropped out before the home turn on September 3 and finished a long last, a far cry from his previous three runs when despite being trapped wide he still finished in the money.
Captain Nemo had a slow recovery rate after the race but nothing else was found to be amiss even when Dux had further tests done on the horse.
“Everything seems OK. You can never be 100 percent sure but my gut feeling tells me it was just that he got too fired up and pulled very hard.
“He’s never really been asked to come off the gate hard and he got far too keen. He really latched on.”
Incredibly, despite the first quarter being cut out in 27.1, and half in 56.1, Captain Nemo still pulled his head off outside the leader.
On Friday, Dux says Captain Nemo will have the luxury of starting from two on the front row, which he says will make life a lot easier for him.
“He can fall out and lob straight in the running line instead of having to burn hard from from seven or the back row.
“Yes, he is racing in a higher grade than he has to but I think he’s up to the task. I think he can win it with the right run.”
Captain Nemo is the lowest rated pacer in the rating 70 to 85 event, plan B for Dux after two easier races he was entered for were canned.
“I’ve had to step him up in grade, and it’s a decent field, but I’m not worried about that as I think he’ll handle it and I can’t see him not running a good race.
“The one (Chiasso) should hold the lead. We can just mosey out and see what happens.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to turn the page. He’s done well since that last race and has trained well.”
Punters who made Captain Nemo a hot favourite in his last two starts won’t forget in a hurry his enormous win over 2138 metres on August 3 when he went back, was checked, then improved to sit three wide solo in the running and still proved too good.
Captain Nemo races at 8.12pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday.
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Friday’s Lincoln Farms Franklin Cup all about the standing start manners of Aussie raider
Our runners this week
Tuesday at Cambridge
Colonel Lincoln, Onyx Shard, Commander Lincoln, Debbie Lincoln, Kevin Kline, Lincoln La Moose, The Big Lebowski.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Commander Lincoln
5.51pm
“Back to Cambridge and the easier amateur ranks he can get some of it. He’s an honest little horse who pays his way.”
Race 4: Onyx Shard
6.49pm
“She’s a nice filly who is training really well and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her in the money in spite of the outside draw. She’d be one of the best in that field and is definitely an each-way chance.”
Race 6: Colonel Lincoln
7.39pm
“He hasn’t raced for nearly 21 months but his training has been good and he should go well first-up. He’s a beautiful, big horse who probably lacks a yard of speed to be a real super horse but he’s got everything else. I expect him to go well against this lot.”
Race 7: Lincoln La Moose
8.04pm
“He’s training well and has surprised us before, like when he won his first start at Cambridge like a monster after breaking on the first turn. It’s always the way when they win their first start - it makes things hard for them after that - but he’s travelling well now and is capable of being in it.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.09pm
“He’ll be relying on a heap of good luck from the second row. His last run was a non-event. The poor little bugger couldn’t have done a better job of finding trouble. He’s trained on all right.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.09pm
“He’s training really well and he showed last time what a big motor he had, losing all that ground early and still getting up to win. He’s not famous for his gate speed but as long as he gets away safely then Maurice can put him in the race at the right time. There are a lot of horses in there that aren’t that safe who could stand on their ear. Navigating through them is always a worry. He’ll need some luck but he could give them a fright.”
Race 6: Frisco Bay
8.05pm
“He obviously can’t beat Duchess Megxit or Jeremiah but if he gets a good trip he’s a chance of getting some money. Things didn’t suit him last time - being out three wide then going to the front. He’s so hot, he over-races. He goes best if he’s allowed to slop out and find the back of something, when he generally relaxes. Even if he got back a bit, that would be all right, so long as he gets sucked along.”
