Argyle goes wire-to-wire in 1:51.9 at Albion Park last Saturday night.
Rookie Rothwell can do a good job on Argyle - but it’s a strong line-up on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 5 April 2024
Trainer Mark Dux is confident 21-year-old rookie Nathan Rothwell can do a good job behind Argyle at Albion Park on Saturday night.
Dux is using the claiming junior to allow Argyle to race in band 5 again, despite scoring a powerful all-the-way win in the same grade last week.
And after drawing well in gate two for the 2138 metre event, Dux says both driver and horse are up to the task, despite some strong opposition.
Nathan Rothwell … has driven 79 winners.“Nathan is one of the leading five claiming drivers at the moment and I’m sure he’ll do the job.
“He’s been driving quite a few winners for Jack Butler in the last few months.”
Rothwell who drove 42 winners in 2023, and now has a career tally of 79, drove a treble at Redcliffe in February and was recently named one of two rookies of the year by the Breeders, Owners, Trainers and Reinspersons Association of Queensland.
Argyle, too, has been in his best form, capping a run of outstanding sectional times with a 1660 metre win over Glover and Stormtide last Saturday night in a sharp 1:51.9 mile rate.
How he fares on Saturday night will probably be decided in the first 200 metres of the race, says Dux.
“We have a good draw but the one inside us, Aroda, is a nice horse and he has enough speed to hold us if Grant (Dixon) wants to.
“But Grant has (one of the favourites) Mossdale Terry on his back and might hand to Argyle (to put his rival deep).
“We’ll come off the gate and have a look and, now we have a bit of respect, there is some hope they’ll let us go.”
Query over fast beginners
Dux suspects two fast beginners drawn out wide may not be used up this week.
Bangkok Deejay, who starts in four, was burned out of the gate last week and finished down the track, and the smart Teddy Disco is having his first race for more than three months.
Though he has won two recent trials, Dux says Teddy Disco may not be gassed early first-up, especially as his connections have bigger races in mind for him.
“He has a junior on as well, not his usual driver. But if he does launch, he might have enough speed to cross and Grant might hand.”
Predicting what will happen is tricky, says Dux - “there could be a lot of pressure or very little” - but so long as Argyle isn’t driven too hard early for too long, he should feature again.
“What kills you is too fast a lead time, but if we have a look in the first furlong then don’t be silly, I think he’ll race well. We’ll get a nice enough run even if we have to sit parked.
“There’s not a lot between them - Wisper A Secret, on the second line, is a really nice horse too - so it will come down to who gets the best run.”
Four races later, Lincoln Farms’ stablemate Captain Nemo resumes off a two-month break, Dux thinking with an ounce of luck he can hit the line hard, possibly earning a cheque.
“Five is a tricky draw. I’ll leave it up to Angus (Garrard) to judge how he gets off the gate but I don’t want to see him burn too hard. He’s not ready to be carved up.
“It will come down to what happens in the run. It’s only a good, average field but we could end up settling eighth or ninth and, if they only go steady, we’d be out of it.”
Argyle races at 8.41pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday. night.
Captain Nemo races at 10.55pm NZ time at Albion Park on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
Street tells how sharing the thrill with his brother and sister elevated the Colonel’s win
Angelic result for Debbie but shadows rob Linda’s supporters in first two-year-old race
Mark: How we drive Argyle on Saturday night is in The Kid’s hands - he’ll work it out
Ray’s classroom tip: Cheap fillies ‘most likely to succeed’ in north’s first two-year-old race
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln La Moose
5.43pm
“Drawn well, he should get a good trip and be the one to beat. He got held up at Cambridge last time and these amateur races are easier to win.”
Race 1: Commander Lincoln
5.43pm
“The form line doesn’t show it but he actually went ok last time, they just sprinted and left him flat-footed. He’ll go his usual honest race.”
Race 2: Angelic Copy
6.16pm
“She and Linda train and trial together and are much more forward than the others. She’s a proper little tradesman who can do whatever you want and she tries hard.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
6.16pm
“He’s not as forward as the fillies. He’s still learning and can do nothing but improve.”
Race 2: Lincoln Lover
6.16pm
“He’s another who will benefit from the experience but he’s by Bettor’s Delight and they tend to lift their game when the money’s up.”
Race 2: Rivergirl Bella
6.16pm
“She has a bit of speed but is not as tractable as Linda - she doesn’t handle the corners quite as well and might be a little better left-handed. But she’s as good as any of them at the moment and, in the small field, should get her chance.”
Race 2: Lincoln Linda
6.16pm
“Though drawn the outside, she should really be the one to beat, based on her trial. She’s quite a strong filly, who is well gaited and should go forward. Maurice (McKendry) has driven her two or three times and he likes her.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lou
7.08pm
“He should be dangerous against what is not a wonderful bunch. He trialled well, a nose behind Lewey Maguire (home in 56.4). All three of mine are nice horses and should be right there.”
Race 4: Tyson
7.08pm
“He was laying in on the corners last time at Cambridge and it was just a sprint home. He needs to be driven a bit more aggressively - he’s gone his best races when he’s been put in the race. Remember he sat parked when third to Arna’s good one (Chase Me) in December. He can tough it.”
Race 4: Colonel Lincoln
7.08pm
“He’s training down well, as good as you could expect. He’s done nothing wrong in three starts back. The outside draw is an inconvenience but, when he slots in, he won’t be far off them.”
Race 7: Kevin Kline
8.38pm
“He got held up last time and the winner got away on him. He should get a nice trip from one. He’ll go another honest race and will be in it for a while.”
Race 7: Debbie Lincoln
8.38pm
“She could be quite a nice filly. The way she’s developing I think she’ll be competitive against the better fillies later in the year. She’s quite versatile and can race tough. She has a lot of potential.”
Race 7: Frisco Bay
8.38pm
“He’d be on a par with Debbie for speed but he can get a bit carried away. Hopefully he can get a nice suck into it. I can’t fault the way they’re training and whichever of the two gets the best trip should win.”
Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 7: Argyle
11.59NZ time
“It’s a good race but I’m more than happy with him. His run the other day was decent. He couldn’t get into it from where he was in the running but he travelled up really nicely and, when he was running a 27.96 last quarter, he was was six wide on the home. I don’t see a lot of pressure in the race and if Hiranya gets an easy lead, and runs home in 55, it will make it hard to make up ground from the back. I’ll let Angus work it out when they say go. He’s got enough speed to roll across them and sit parked but it will depend on how many charge out of the gate.”
