The photo finish shows Argyle not far away in fifth last week.
Mark: You just have to roll the dice again with Argyle - he’s racing well but needs luck
By Barry Lichter • 17 November 2023
Punters will have to roll the dice once again at Albion Park on Saturday night if they want to back Argyle from the second row.
Trainer Mark Dux says while Lincoln Farms’ pacer is racing well, the pattern of racing in Queensland means that sometimes things will go against him.
“If you draw the two alley you can make your own luck, but two the second row and you’re rolling the dice.
“Every week races are won here by leader, trailer or three fence, and sometimes the parked horse. But unless something pressures the horse that lobs in front it becomes too difficult for those trying to come from the back.
“I was pretty happy with his run last week for fifth - he just couldn’t win the way the race was run. Once the leader (Rock Supreme) was able to back off the second quarter in 30.6 and that other horse (Tashs Spartan) got to the death he couldn’t move on Argyle.”
Dux says from his second line draw Argyle did well to close to only 8.7 metres from the winner and his closing sectionals of 55.43 and 28.08 confirmed that.
Three wide trying to mount a challenge, Argyle clocked 27.34 for his third quarter, just two hundredths of a second slower than the best in the race - and he covered an extra 27 metres in the running.
“It all depends on where you lob in the race so I’m hoping he can get a nice run through and won’t be too far off them. “It’s a good even field with no standouts. On form there are three or four winning chances and we’re one of them.”
Dux says you have to fancy the chances of the horses drawn one and two.
Pole runner Pacifico Dream is a newcomer to the state and Grant Dixon’s team, having previously won 15 races in New South Wales, and on a rating of 112 is 37 points higher than Argyle.
The horse won New South Wales and Victoria Derby heats in 2020 when with Emma Stewart and Andy Gath later trained him to win a Vicbred Final.
But the now six-year-old has had issues and ran down the track in his last four starts for Alex Ashwood when resuming from a long spell in August and September.
“I don’t know the horse much but it ran third in a trial here last week and you’d think it would be tough to beat from a good alley.
“Luxury Lad’s last two wins were only at Redcliffe but they were in good times (1:53.6 and 1:54.9 mile rates for 1780 metres).”
* Meanwhile, Tommy Lincoln’s planned comeback on Saturday night fizzled when only five horses accepted for the race, leaving the horse stranded on 49th in the rankings for the Interdominion series with little chance of making the 36-horse cut-off before the final list is released on Wednesday.
Dux says the horse will now target easier races during the carnival which starts on December 1.
Argyle races at 10.56pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
This is it, Sammy, the draw’s a bit of a pain but you can eat these non-winners for breakfast
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Third time lucky for Wave’s little bro Omaha Lincoln who finally debuts at Auckland
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.14pm
“She tries hard and is getting stronger. She just needs a trip to be right there.”
Race 3: Copy N Paste
6.16pm
“Maurice said he got a bit tired on debut but I didn’t expect a lot. Four months ago you’d have wondered if he’d ever qualify. He’ll improve on that - he’s improving all the time - but from seven he’ll have to go back and come into it late.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.14pm
“She’s up in grade but is a chance again if she can get a good run up the front of the field. It was a good effort last time to break 2:43.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.49pm
“She’s trained on OK and, while no champion, has to be a chance down in grade against the amateur horses.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Jessie Lincoln
6.57pm
“I can’t see her beating Sammy Lincoln but with a good draw at last you’ll see a better performance. She’s capable of finishing in the first three.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.57pm
“She bolted in at the workouts, leading out from a wide gate and getting home in 27.9. She’s a great driving little mare and has good manners. I could see her winning one very soon.”
Race 4: Sammy Lincoln
6.57pm
“I know we’ve said it before but he has been unlucky a few times and, all things being fair and square, it’s hard to see him beaten. The draw is awkward but everything points to him winning. There are no derby horses in there and he went a great race in the Northern Derby last start.”
Race 4: Marylynes Boy
6.57pm
“He’s a tidy little horse. I can’t see him winning from the (second row) draw but he’s like Spirit Of God, he’s not far away from winning one.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.25pm
“He’s been a late developer. You can see it in his growth, his withers have finally popped up, and he’ll get better as time goes on. He’s no champion but he should be a handy horse through winter. He’s capable of stepping away fairly well.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.25pm
“It’s a toss-up between the two of them. Sugar Ray is a bit stronger perhaps but Leo is very good from a stand. You can forget that last run in the Messenger - he was only in there to help get the race off the ground.”
Race 7: Prince Lincoln
8.25pm
“He finally showed us what he’s got last week. Inside second row draws can be awkward - you’re at the mercy of the others - but he could end up with a good trail behind the leader.”
