
Layne Dwyer is still at school but has driven 30 winners in the last eight months.
Tricky draw for Nemo and young Layne but they can get some of it with luck in the run
A wide barrier draw will make things tough for Captain Nemo and his young driver Layne Dwyer at Albion Park on Friday night but he’s racing well enough to get some of the money, says trainer Mark Dux.
Captain Nemo is the second highest rated pacer in the opening race but will score up for 16-year-old Dwyer from six on the gate. And Dux says that means the junior claimer will have to play it by ear on whether he lets the horse run the gate or look for a trail.
“He’ll have to make that decision on how he feels but I’m picking they’ll roll along a bit.
“R Eleven Art, who has drawn inside him, is going better than his form suggests and I can see Angus Garrard pressing forward on him. He can run a bit of time too.
“The other main one he has to beat is The Tax Cullector, who won Argyle’s race the other night and hit the line well. But he’s got the 10 alley.”
Dux says just like last week when young drivers’ championship rep Emily Suvaljko baled out of the early rush on Nemo because they were going at lunatic speed, Dwyer might have to do the same.
“He just doesn’t want too far back because if they run home quick he’ll be in trouble.
“Nemo has never been a horse to run the bends well - he always hangs a bit. He could have run a place last week, instead of finishing fourth (in a 1:52.8 mile rate), had he not lost so much ground on the turn.
“He’s definitely a hope, as he’s done well since, but it’s just a matter of where he lands.”
Dwyer, a son of Brisbane trainer Graham Dwyer, is the minimum age that a harness driver can be in Australia and wasted no time in landing his first winner in April, just 13 days after being licensed. He is still at school but has driven 30 winners in the last eight months and has piloted Nemo once before, in September. After starting from the inside of the second row, he was buried four deep and held up early in the run home, but finished fast when clear for a close fifth.
Dux reports Argyle will be fit to race on Saturday week after a minor foot issue on race morning cost him a start last week.
“He came out of his box on Saturday morning and couldn’t walk properly. His leg was up, whether some moisture got into a little crack in his foot, I’m not sure. “Once it was cleaned up it quickly got better and he’s fine now.”
Dux said he’s waiting to consult the vet about the future of Tommy Lincoln after his leg was scanned in his absence yesterday, the suspicion he has a tendon injury.
Captain Nemo races at 8.48pm NZ time at Albion Park on Friday night.
More news in Harness
Consisent little Lincoln Lou sold to Western Australia to join fellow ex-Kiwis
Kevin Kline caps record day for Casey and loyal Lincoln Farms’ team - and can repeat
It’s bon voyage Frisky as Ray celebrates another rags to riches sale success
Huge disappointment for Lincoln Farms as exciting Colonel Lincoln bows out again
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

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.