Argyle will benefit from another conditioning run on Saturday night. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
Mark: Flat tyre no help to Argyle when resuming but he’s not ready to launch just yet
By Barry Lichter • 30 January 2025
Argyle didn’t beat a horse home when resuming at Albion Park last Saturday but he still earned a pass mark from trainer Mark Dux after carrying a flat tyre for the last 700 metres.
Dux had not been expecting much from Argyle in his first race for nearly 10 months after a suspensory injury but admits he first thought concession driver Alanah Richardson might have missed the boat at a crucial time.
“She had him ready to go, when (the heavily backed) Congo Line took off but you can see her look down at the tyre.”
Argyle battled away to the line, clocking 56.45 for his last 800 metres, and did not lose much ground on the leaders in finishing 17 metres from ex-Kiwi winner We Always Have Faith.
“I was more than happy with him through the run and he pulled up well, which is the main thing.”
Dux has replaced Richardson with another concession driver in Layne Dwyer this week, but not because she did anything wrong.
“She probably should have gone three fence early - if you’re not on the fence it’s so hard to win races, because they’re running such quick halves every week - but I’d have put her on again if she’d been driving at the meeting.”
Argyle is the second highest ranked horse in the field on an NR83 rating and gets into the band 5 race, courtesy of his junior driver.
Dux has confidence that Dwyer, 17, can do the job with 137 winners to his name.
“He’s driving plenty of winners but he’ll need luck from the bad (six) draw.
“He has no option but to go back, drive him quietly and finish on. The horse is not ready to launch and there’s quite a bit of speed inside him.”
Argyle races at 9.19pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
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Ray’s comments
Wednesday at Auckland
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
5.10pm
“I can’t believe he’s not picked in four (on the HRNZ website). He actually headed Cyclone Rebel last start but switched off. We’ve added sliding blinds which seem to have helped in training and he’s got to be a good each-way chance. He just needs a bit of luck from six on the gate.”
Race 5: Johnny Lincoln
5.10pm
“He’ll need some luck from the outside but hopefully he can still get a cheque. He doesn’t have as much speed as Prince Lincoln.”
Race 7: Spiritual Bliss
6pm
“I think she’ll be able to handle the rise in class. She’s a pretty good mare who keeps finding when the pressure goes on. It won’t be easy but she has a good draw and has already run a mile in 1:55.3.”
Race 7: Debbie Lincoln
6pm
“It’s hard to know how she compares with Spiritual Bliss but I think they’re both chances. Debbie Lincoln is still the fastest three-year-old to win over 1700 metres around Alexandra Park and she was excellent again when just pipped by Tyson last time.”
Race 12: Tyson
8.38pm
“The rise in class won’t stop him. If they go a bit harder, he can still run a 56 half off a solid pace. He’s improving all the time, more than I thought he would. He could easily win again.”
Race 12: Leo Lincoln
8.38pm
“We threw him in the deep end first-up when he really needed another trial. That race will bring him on a bit but I think he’ll need another before we see him at his best.”
