Captain Nemo finishes strongly for a close sixth on a rain-sodden Albion Park.
Forget the form line, Captain Nemo can run top three tonight with an ounce of luck
By Barry Lichter • 24 May 2024
His form line of 0006 might look bleak but trainer Mark Dux points to other numbers that give a better guide to Captain Nemo’s chances at Albion Park this evening.
It’s the sectionals the horse ran at his last start that Dux says make Captain Nemo a top three chance at lucrative odds in the last race.
On a rain-sodden track, Nemo finished on strongly to be only 8.4 metres from winner Art Jester, despite being forced to make his three wide run earlier than driver Angus Garrard wanted when a rival stopped in his face.
The horse clocked closing sectionals of 28.91 and 27.46, covering an extra 32 metres in the run, each quarter only one hundredth of a second slower than the winner.
Nemo was also clocked to run the fastest middle half in 59.2.
Drawn three on the second row, Dux knows Nemo will need the right tempo up front to get into the race.
“If they go stupid early, and we can get a nice tag into it, we won’t be far off. Parama, who has drawn inside us, might get going and take us into the race.
“We have to drive him quietly, we can’t be trying to make things happen every week or we’ll stuff him.
“We need him to pull up sound, come home in one piece and then he’ll be a chance again next week.”
Dux says Western Arterra, drawn two, is the obvious favourite after his strong-finishing recent efforts. But Nemo, the third highest rated horse in the race, needs only an ounce of luck to get some of the money.
“He’s trained on well and I have nothing to complain about.”
Captain Nemo races at 7.25pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday night.
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Little Missy Lincoln can stand up for herself in Young Guns fillies’ heat on Friday night
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: The Night Fox
5.44pm
“From a good front line draw Harry can run off the gate and find the front. He’s shown he’s got the speed to get there. And if he can go 2:42 again, or quicker, I thought he’d be a very good winning chance. It’s an easier field than the one he beat last time. He’s trained well this week.”
Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
6.09pm
“She goes down to Cambridge for the first time so it’s a big drop in class. She also goes a lot better left-handed so I thought from the good draw she could run top three.”
Race 3: Lincoln Maree
6.34pm
“She paced a 1:56.7 mile in beating the amateurs last start but it looks like she’ll need a bit of luck from the draw this time. The two inside her like to lead so she could end up three fence or outside them. I’ll leave it up to Harry to get the right trip.”
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.34pm
“He’s a place chance. He likes bowling along but from five it’s hard to say where he’ll end up. He’s very consistent and he paced 2:42.3 last time so I can absolutely see him in the money.”
Race 6: Lincoln Linda
8.04pm
“She was in a very strong R40 to R48 race last time at Auckland against horses like Alecto, All Of Me and Cyclone Rebel, and she clocked 2:41.1, so back to Cambridge where she won her first race, and a much easier R38 to R40 field, she’s got to be a good winning chance. She’s best in front if Fergie can get there.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
4.42pm
“I’m not holding my breath with him. We won’t count that last run, when the leader went ballistic and he couldn’t get into the race, but he’s not well placed here.”
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.09pm
“She’s racing really well and this looks a bit easier than last time when she was trapped in the breeze in a strong field. I can’t see how she won’t be right in the fight.”
Race 7: Missy Lincoln
7.34pm
“I didn’t know what to expect on debut but she was very brave. I’m picking she’ll go well again but she’ll need a bit of luck - drawn the second line we’re at the mercy of others. We’ll poke her out and see. At least she won’t get parked this time.”
Race 10: Lincoln Wave
9.07pm
“We’re racing the best horses now but he’ll definitely go better than last time. Tony (Herlihy) said he felt super across the top but once in the straight he flattened out, which I half expected. I had him scoped afterwards just to make sure he was all right but he was short of a run, that’s all.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
9.07pm
“He went super when third last week and Fergie said just wait ’til he gets over 2700 metres, he’ll be a monster. He’s turned into a proper racehorse. From four there’ll be a bit of urgency early and hopefully he can get a suck along and get some of it.”
