Andrew O’Toole’s SATURDAY best at Darwin (31/01)

By Andrew O’Toole

A tremendous card of seven races awaits us at Fannie Bay in Darwin today, and no doubt the fortnightly racing schedule has had a strong influence on the strength and size of the fields this week. The Benchmark 54 1200m has been divided to provide the greater majority of horses with a start, and with ten riders in attendance, including five visitors, all bar two of the 62 acceptors should run barring setbacks, with the only exception a horse in each of the first two races where there are 11 acceptors apiece.

The two features on the day are the $40,000 Ladbrokes Lightning Wet Season Series Final, a 0-70 event over 1200m, and the third heat of the Ladbrokes Summer Sprint Series, an Average Benchmark affair over 1300m. The former has attracted a nine-strong line-up of horses that have competed in at least one heat of the Wet Season Series, while the latter brings together a competitive 11-horse line-up headed by last year’s Palmerston Sprint runner-up Bon’s Pride.

In the Wet Season Series Final, a number of different formlines and grades of horses come together, which does not make coming up with a winner an easy task. However, I have settled on the Gary Clarke-trained Fly, a last-start winner in 0-58 grade, to take a step up here against several better performed rivals.

Fly, a 4yo son of Merchant Navy, raced with credit last season, winning his maiden here on 7 June before finishing fourth in two 3yo contests, the latter the Darwin Guineas, behind Vanguard Legend. He always promised plenty and the break since the Guineas and his first start back on 17 January has obviously done him the world of good – he looks a far more mature gelding now and his temperament seems to have improved as well.

He was most impressive on his debut as a 4yo, and although it was only a 0-58, the way he dashed clear of his rivals late suggests he will take plenty of beating in the Final. He has drawn a nice gate of five, has the services of Jarrod Todd and looks to have plenty of upside.

Hardest for Fly to beat could well be his stablemate and topweight Patriotic King. He has been in fine form of late, having won three of his last five starts, and his last-start fourth to the quality sprinter Zourata, beaten just 3.1 lengths over 1100m on 9 January, was a first-class effort.

The downside for his prospects here is the outside barrier draw of nine, but he possesses plenty of speed from the gate and if Hannah Le Blanc can put him in the race without using too much petrol, he should be there when the pressure goes on in the final stages.

Bryce, from the Phil Cole stable, should also be very competitive, although he too has drawn wide in gate 8. He does tend to get back a little in his races, so perhaps the draw will not be so much of an impediment to him. He has won at this trip and been placed three times from six attempts and adds to the puzzle.

Funnyifitwon resumed this campaign with a narrow win over New Enterprise over 1100m on 17 January, which was a good effort considering he is better known over longer trips. He had a good break since racing in Kununurra in late August and looks to have come back well. Danielle Hirini travels from Alice Springs to take the mount for trainer Tayarn Halter.

Last-start winners Bruno Bruno and I Loverain must also be afforded chances, while La Boqueria has done little wrong in four starts this preparation for Chloe Baxter, with a win, two seconds and a third placing, the most recent behind Zourata earlier in the month.

In the $25,500 Ladbrokes Summer Sprint Series (Heat 3), Bon’s Pride, second-up this campaign, makes plenty of appeal over his favoured 1300m distance. He has won three times from eight attempts at the trip, and he is a class performer who from barrier two, should be able to get a nice run in transit just behind the speed and he promises to be strong late. Vanessa Arnott knows the 6yo well and he should have come on for his first-up fifth to Zourata when beaten just over four lengths three weeks ago.

Crown Waters looks the obvious danger. The St Patrick’s Cup winner from last year has had two runs back this campaign for two fine seconds behind Forms Of Fear and Zourata, and getting out to this trip, at which she has won and been placed from just two attempts, should aid her chances. Hannah Le Blanc takes the mount for Tommy Logan.

Vieri, last-start winner Struck Gold, Atlantic Ocean and Awash all have sound prospects, while Forms Of Fear has had just the one start at the trip but from an inside gate should be respected.

The weather in Darwin this week has again been a mixture of rain, mostly during the evening, and fine weather. The official forecast for today reads: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening. Winds westerly 15 to 25 km/h. The temperature is forecast to reach 32 degrees, and it will be 25 degrees overnight. There is an 80% chance of 0-15mm of rain.

The first race on the seven-race card gets underway at 1.29pm (NT time), which is 2.59pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 5.03pm (NT time), or 6.33pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R1 # 3 JUST ALBERT
Lightly raced 4yo son of Encryption who has really hit his straps this preparation. Broke his maiden in good style here on 27 December and then repeated the dose in even more emphatic style in a 0-58 1300m on 9 January. Steps up in trip here to 1600m but he was strong through the line last time out and has been placed over 1450m in Victoria. Deborah Barton’s 3kg claim brings him in very well, and he should again give a good account of himself.

R4 # 1 FIELD OF PRAISE
Has resumed from a decent spell with two excellent runs. Finished third to Jumping Power Two, and not beaten far, over 1000m on 5 December before a runner-up placing to Rhesus over this trip of 1200m on 27 December. Drawn to be right on the pace throughout and gets the services of Wanderson D’Avila. Angela Forster does a first-class job with her small team and can get her just rewards here.

R6 # 3 BRASH LASS
The only winner in this hybrid 3yo class 2 and all-aged maidens affair over 1100m. Made a good impression on her first start in the Top End with a close-up third to six-race winner Funnyifitwon in a 0-58 over this trip on 17 January. Drew out that day and boxed on solidly, whereas this time draws the coveted one gate. Phil Cole has multiple runners on the day, and this one looks one of his best chances of success.