Captain Nemo, once so quiet, has suddenly realised he is a colt, and it’s not helping his racing. PHOTO: Dan Costello.
No, no Nemo. Mark delivers ultimatum: Last chance tomorrow or it’s off to the vet for you
By Barry Lichter • 17 April 2023
Captain Nemo is in for the unkindest cut of all unless he blows his opposition away at Albion Park on Tuesday evening.
After placing in only one of his last eight starts, trainer Mark Dux says Captain Nemo has run out of time to show he can still perform as a colt.
Tuesday’s ninth race is his last chance and, as easily the highest rated runner in the field, Dux says the Nemo of old would be right in it, outside draw and all.
Rated 75, Nemo gets into the up to 70 rating race with concession claiming junior Paige Bevan in the cart.
Paige Bevan, who has 29 winners to her credit, drives Captain Nemo on Tuesday.It’s easily the weakest field he’s tackled in the last few months but Dux isn’t holding his breath for a change of form.
“I just don’t think that he’s racing they way she should be. His work has been good enough to think he should race well but you take him to the track and he lets you down.
“I know they went hard last week (1:53 mile rate) but he was gone way too far from home. It was like he didn’t put in.”
Dux says Nemo has turned into a real colt at home, screaming every time he takes him somewhere - to the paddock, the walker, out of the paddock, it’s non stop.
“He’s carrying on all the time which is not helping the cause. In the early days he was never like this. He didn’t know he was a colt when he got here and he was quiet as anything for the first 12 months. Then all of a sudden late last year he started carrying on like a pork chop.
“We’re definitely going to geld him if we’re not happy with him tomorrow. He’s already booked in. I’m sure he’ll be better as a gelding once we eliminate all those things.
“Unless he blows them away, I don’t think we have any options.”
You only have to look at how some of the horses Nemo used to beat, or finish alongside, have progressed in the last few months to realise Nemo isn’t putting in, he says.
Dux has, however, made a few changes this week which he hopes might help.
“We’ve got pull down blinds on him - he wore them last week but Angus (Garrard) didn’t activate them because he was beaten so soon.
“I’ve tried training him more steadily this week, with no fast work and I’ll tell Paige to drive him quietly early and see if he can run home.”
Captain Nemo races at 7.47pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.
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Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.44pm
“Fergie’s drive on Sunday was perfect, you couldn’t ask for better, and he said the horse was doing his best work in the last 50 metres. Maybe with another 100 metres he might have got there. His gate speed is only OK so I can see him getting crossed here.”
Race 5: Kevin Kline
6.19pm
“Fergie said he did it easily on the first day, and the horse only did what he had to. He’s been racing much nicer horses at Auckland so it was good to get the win, hopefully it will boost his confidence. I’ll leave the tactics up to Fergie but I imagine he’ll probably do the same thing again, loop the field and outstay them.”
Race 6: Onyx Shard
6.54pm
“I was hoping she’d drop down a grade. She’s had some tough trips recently, having to do a lot of work, and it didn’t help being three wide for the last lap on the first day. Also they only walked and sprinted home. She could be better coming with one run at them.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 2: Lincoln Lover
5.33pm
“He had no chance last start when trapped three wide all the way. That won’t happen this time from the inside draw so that gives him a chance to get some of it.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.33pm
“He’s shown no gate speed so the wide draw doesn’t matter. He’s coming along all right but will need lots of luck against the hot pots.”
Race 5: Debbie Lincoln
6.54pm
“She seems to have overcome her tying-up issue, her bloods are good, and she’s training well again. She could possibly be underdone and the seven draw makes it very hard.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lou
7.20pm
Scratched. Sold to Western Australia.
