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Up periscope! The real Captain Nemo surfaces and he’s primed for Albion Park on Tuesday

Captain Nemo’s terrific first-up run suggests he needs only an ounce of luck to score at Albion Park on Tuesday.

Trainer Mark Dux predicted Captain Nemo was ready to run a big race when two weeks ago he resumed from a four-month spell.

But Nemo’s huge effort to go under by just half a neck and a head at odds of 40-to-one exceeded even his expectations.

“I thought he’d race well given how well he was working but he was obviously going to be better for the run.

They’re spread right across the track but Captain Nemo, third from the outside, gets up for third.They’re spread right across the track but Captain Nemo, third from the outside, gets up for third.“He went super and he pulled up well. I couldn’t be more pleased with him.

“He’s got an ordinary draw tomorrow but the main dangers are on the back row with us so I’m sure he’ll acquit himself well.”

Captain Nemo’s dangers - Big Shadow and Miss Mucho - have drawn either side of him in the up-to-75 rating race, a step down on the up-to-90 class the five-year-old contested first-up.

The distance extends to 2138 metres on Tuesday but that can only help Nemo - five of his seven wins in the state have been over the longer trip than last week’s 1660 metres.

“It will come down to luck in the running but the way he raced the other day he’s a realistic winning chance.”

Nemo’s Lincoln Farms-owned stablemate Argyle will trial either this Friday or next week while Tommy Lincoln comes back into work on Tuesday.

Captain Nemo races at 7.47pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.Captain Nemo races at 7.47pm NZ time at Albion Park on Tuesday.

Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them

Nathan Delany

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 Green

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.

Race Images - Harness