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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Our runners this week
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Leo Lincoln, Onyx Shard, Lincoln La Moose.
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Whats Up The Hill
6.38pm
“He keeps improving every time we put him out there and even though it will all be quite new to him - it’s his first time off the place at a new venue with a bit more urgency - he’s a pretty laid back individual. So long as he gets round OK and it’s a good experience for him that’s the main priority. But he’s done nothing wrong so far and should be right in it. He’s a lovely animal with the pedigree to back him up.”
Race 5: Frisco Bay
7.38pm
“Duchess Megxit is a serious horse who’s already won more than $500,000 and you’d look silly tipping against her. Frisky is up in grade and will need to get the right trip and a bit of luck to get any of it.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
8.05pm
“He tries hard. He’s a typical Bettor’s Delight who saves his best for the big dance. I’d like to think he’s going to keep getting better.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
8.05pm
“He’s pretty tractable so I don’t think the wide draw will make much difference. It’s only a small field so he won’t be far off them in the running. Rahm has to be a danger but my two colts have a little edge in experience on him.”
Race 8: Lincoln Linda
9.03pm
“Maurice was pretty happy with her last run and, if nothing goes wrong in the running, from the inside draw, she could be the one to beat.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
9.03pm
“She’s a very nice, tractable filly who keeps getting better. She does nothing wrong and I expect her to go another good race. There’s nothing between her and Lincoln Linda.”
