Angus Garrard has his work cut out on Captain Nemo from five on the gate on Wednesday.
It’s all up to Angus - Brisbane’s young gun needs to drive a pearler on Nemo at Redcliffe
By Barry Lichter • 23 July 2024
Drawing wide on the front line at Redcliffe isn’t quite what trainer Mark Dux was hoping for with Captain Nemo this week.
But despite not being suited by the tight triangular track, Dux isn’t completely ruling out his chances in the opener on Wednesday evening - he just needs young gun Angus Garrard to produce a top drawer drive.
“I had him in at Albion Park today and Friday and couldn’t get a start,” Dux said.
“I didn’t think we’d get in at Redcliffe either but a few dropped out. If your form is down a little, it’s near impossible to get a run with all the interstate horses here.
“It’s a reasonable field on Wednesday, they’re not push-overs, but they’re all beatable. It will all come down to who gets the right trip.
“If we have something go our way we could get some of it as there’s not a lot between them and I don’t think he’s far off now.”
Dux was very happy with Captain Nemo’s second-up run over 2138 metres on July 12 when he made up good ground from the back to be only 11.5 metres from the winner in sixth.
Timed over his last mile in 1:55.77, his closing sectionals of 56.03 and 28 were almost identical to those of the leaders.
“He raced really well, he took the gaps and went between them and just knocked up the last bit, which I thought he would.
“We’ve got a bad draw again and there’s a bit of speed inside us - I think they’ll all come out pretty hard - so I’ll tell Angus to just play it by ear.
“If he thinks he’s got to get going, he might have to go a bit earlier than we’ve been driving him.
“I know we shouldn’t drive him tough but we will have to poke him there at some stage.
“The track doesn’t suit him but we’ll make the most of the cards we’ve been dealt.”
Captain Nemo races at 7.17pm NZ time at Redcliffe on Wednesday evening.
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Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
