Andrew O’Toole’s Friday best at Darwin (28/11)

By Andrew O’Toole

Racing returns to Darwin for the first of two successive Friday fixtures this afternoon, and just as well it wasn’t last week when Cyclone Fina paid the Top End a visit, dropping over 200mls of rain and providing winds gusting over 100km per hour. Thankfully, the damage to Fannie Bay Racecourse was minimal, with just a few trees down and several sections of plastic running rail not where it was meant to be. However, all is in readiness for today’s four-race card, with the Average Benchmark 1200m unfortunately failing to attract the requisite number of five horses at acceptance time, therefore it could not go ahead.

The day’s highest rated event is the opener, the Rydges Palmerston Handicap, which is a Benchmark 76 over 1600m. It has attracted some eight runners, and looks a competitive affair, but I fancy Peel The Stickers to collect his first Top End success at the third time of asking.

Trained by Tayarn Halter and to be ridden by Raymond Vigar, Peel The Stickers was the highest-priced horse at the Magic Millions Darwin Tried Horse Sale held on 31 July this year, being knocked down for $40,000 to clients of the Halter stable. This was no surprise, as in his 16 starts prior to coming to the Territory, he had won four times and been placed on a further three occasions, and the 6yo son of Rubick looks a quality individual.

His two outings in the Top End have been first-class too – he finished second to Devils Delight on NT debut over 1100m on 18 October, and then when stepped up in grade to an open handicap 1300m, was just 2.1 lengths third to the form sprinter of the Territory, Boldinho, who has won his last five races in succession. That outing was on Melbourne Cup Day, and Halter has allowed her charge plenty of time to get over that run before stepping him up in trip to today’s 1600m.

While he has yet to win at the distance, he has been placed second to Dark Simba at Mornington on a heavy track and fifth to the smart Liberami on a good surface at Sandown Lakeside. Both those efforts point to him being very hard to beat here, and he appeals as one of the better bets on the card.

Hardest to beat looks likely to be Hotim English, who has done little wrong in three starts since resuming from a decent spell on 4 October. Ella Clarke’s 5yo won over 1200m that day, and repeated the dose over the same trip three weeks later, before finishing second to Prince Ruban over 1300m on 15 November.

At his latest run, he got back and seemed to resent the kickback during the run, yet ran on stoutly along the inner over the concluding stages, suggesting that this 1600m will be right up his alley. It should be – his three starts at the trip to date have resulted in a win (7 February), a second and a third placing, and he looks the one best placed to give Peel The Stickers most opposition.

Beau Factor has an unblemished two-from-two record over this journey, including a last-start win on Melbourne Cup Day. He just held on to beat Danger Man on that occasion, with Vieri a length back, and even though he has been up for a good period of time, is still racing well for trainer Terry Gillett and jockey daughter Dakota, who was aboard for his most recent victory.

Vieri has done a good job since coming to the Top End as a late-season 3yo and contesting races like the Guineas and the NT Derby. Since the Carnival, he has had five starts, breaking his maiden in 0-58 company on 23 August before winning twice more, on 4 and 25 October. He has certainly improved with maturity and his win in 0-70 grade two starts back and over this trip was excellent. Sonja Logan continues her association with Chris Nash’s son of Russian Revolution and he cannot be left out of calculations.

The Gary Clarke-trained pair of Cacofonix, the Buntine Handicap winner during the 2025 Cup Carnival, and perennial placegetter Awash have claims on their best form, while Kangaroo Court gives Gillett a strong second stringer, having finished second to Vieri over this trip on 25 October. Stan Tsaikos returns to the Top End to take the mount. The Albion was a winner over his pet distance of 1600m two starts back, and could easily get some of this.

The weather in Darwin this week, since Cyclone Fina abated last Sunday, has been mostly fine and sunny, with the usual humidity for this time of the year. The official forecast for today reads: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the late morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening. Light winds. The temperature is forecast to reach 33 degrees, and it will be a sticky 26 degrees overnight. There is a 30% chance of 0-1mm of rain.

The first race on the four-race card gets underway at the earlier time of 3.15pm (NT time), which is 4.45pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 5.04pm (NT time), or 6.34pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R1 # 2 PEEL THE STICKERS
Has gone two top races since making the Top End his home just a few months ago. Chased home Devils Delight over 1100m on 18 October, and then was only two lengths adrift of Boldinho over 1300m on Melbourne Cup Day. This trip should be far more suitable for him, and although yet to win at 1600m from five attempts, he has seldom been far away. Raymond Vigar takes the mount for Tayarn Halter, and he will give a great sight in the opener.

R3 # 1 PATRIOTIC KING
Sharp mid-grade sprinter who has won two of his last three starts, his most recent on 15 November over this trip of 1200m. That was his first win at the distance, and his effort after drawing wide and being used up to lead was full of merit. Drawn better this time and up against just five rivals, should be in front soon after the start and will take plenty of running down. Jarrod Todd retains the ride for leading conditioner Gary Clarke.

R4 # 2 STRAYA PRIDE
Turned in a much-improved effort when third in a fresh state behind Jumping Power Two on 15 November over 1000m. Extra 100m this time should be to his liking, and he will no doubt have derived improvement from his last run, his first in about five months. Won a couple of races earlier in the year before his form tapered off, but anywhere near his best here he will prove very hard to beat.