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Full Noise by SN
Andrew O’Toole’s Friday best at Darwin (06/05)
Andrew O’Toole •  March 5th, 2026 7:00 pm
Just four races await us at Fannie Bay today, no doubt the result of a good meeting last Saturday and the annual fixture, celebrating St Patrick’s Day, in just eight day’s time. While it was disappointing to lose the BM76 1200m with just four nominations, at least the meeting will go ahead with three five-horse fields and a six-horse line-up in the 3 and 4yo 1300m, race two on the card.
The highest-rated race is the opener, the Darwin Cup On Sale Handicap for the 0-70 gallopers over 1600m. This is the last chance for horses to have a hit-out over the same trip as the $40,000 St Pat’s Cup on 14 March, and providing the five of them come through this race in good fashion, expect to see all of them take their place in the traditional Top End off-season feature in just over a week.
It is a tricky contest to sort out, with all five having claims to success, but I have settled on the bottom weight, New Enterprise, to upset some of his higher weighted rivals.
Although carrying the minimum of 55kg, New Enterprise has won the most races of any of his rivals, his 55 starts yielding six wins, five seconds and seven third placings. Trained by Peter Stennett, who contents himself with up to a handful of horses, New Enterprise has been something of a stable stalwart for several seasons now, and the 7yo, although he doesn’t win out of turn, hit the line strongly last week for second to I’m A Dreamer over this trip.
He is a previous winner at 1600m – he has won once and been placed on six occasions from 18 starts at the trip – and he is fit and hard and can give this a real shake. Aaron Sweeney takes the mount today and he has been in good form of late.
Topweight Awash will be giving New Enterprise 6kg but like his rival, ran second here last week behind Vieri in a 0-76 1600m. He actually drops in grade for this assignment and would only have to reproduce his effort of six days ago to again figure in the finish. He has won just the one race in Darwin but seldom races badly for leading trainer Gary Clarke. Jarrod Todd takes the mount.
Rock Revolution is an interesting contender for Chloe Baxter. He is lightly-raced, having had just the 13 raceday starts for three wins, a second and three thirds. While disappointing first-up on the track on 9 January, he turned that effort around at his only subsequent outing on 31 January, scoring gamely over this distance after leading throughout.
He was meant to have started again since but a minor foot abscess set back his preparation. That said, he should make his presence felt for visiting Victorian rider Hannah Le Blanc.
Maxxi Bon, trained by Chris Nash who was in the winner’s circle last Saturday with Vieri, should be improved for his first-up effort in Darwin when fifth on 14 February. He was doing his best work late over 1300m on that occasion, and the extra distance will be right up his alley, having won three times over the trip. Dakota Gillett will claim 1.5kg from Maxxi Bon’s book weight of 57.5kg, and a bold showing here would not surprise.
Capitol Hill completes the five-strong field, and it is fair to say he was disappointing last week when finishing at the tail, and beaten 11 lengths behind Vieri, over an identical 1600m. However, he did win the NT Derby back in July and having his fifth start this campaign today, he should be ready to put his best foot forward and give the Baxter stable some confidence going forward to the St Pat’s Cup.
The bet365 TROBIS Handicap for the three and four-year-olds over 1300m is without doubt the best race of the day, with six runners engaged and a number of chances among them.
Fly, trained by Clarke and to be ridden by Todd, has done nothing wrong this campaign, with two wins from as many starts, the most recent in the Wet Season Final over 1200m on 31 January. He steps up in trip for this assignment but that should be very much to his liking, seeing as he finished fourth in the NT Guineas (1600m) behind Vanguard Legend during the 2025 Darwin Cup Carnival.
Vanguard Legend, third at his only start this campaign, Bruno Bruno, a winner two starts back, fresh runner Bollon and the three-year-olds Brash Lass and Pleasing Smile complete the line-up, and an excellent contest seems assured.
The weather in Darwin this week has again been a mixture of rain and fine spells. The official forecast for today reads: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening. Winds westerly 20 to 30 km/h. There is a 90% chance of 5-30mm of rain – let’s hope the forecasters are off the mark as they were for the last Darwin meeting on 28 February!
The first race on the four-race card gets underway at 3.05pm (NT time), which is 4.35pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 4.40pm (NT time), or 6.10pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R2 # 3 FLYGary Clarke-trained 4yo who has come back this campaign in fantastic style. Won first-up over 1100m on 17 January, and followed that up with a win two weeks later over 1200m in the feature Wet Season final. Did a good job on that occasion after not getting all favours in the run, and has been given plenty of time to get over that assignment. Up in trip should not worry the son of Merchant Navy, and although this is a decent line-up, looks the one to beat again from barrier three.
R3 # 3 STRAYA PRIDEDisappointed last time out on 9 January after putting together three good placed efforts through November and December. Has been freshened since that last outing and first-up here for a couple of months. Has won three times over this trip of 1200m and in this small field, although drawn the outside gate, he should be able to make his presence felt for the Clarke-Jarrod Todd combination.
R4 # 1 PHYSICAL GRAFFITIYet another from the Clarke Racing stable with Todd in the saddle. Gained a deserved win here when last produced on 9 January, scoring in this 0-64 grade over 1200m. Drops in trip here but with eight weeks between runs, that should not be a concern. Faces just the four rivals and has raced with credit in better fields than this. Can complete a good day for the leading trainer and rider.
SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – 5, 1, 2, 4RACE 2 – 3, 1, 2, 4RACE 3 – 3, 4, 1, 2RACE 4 – 1, 2, 3, 4
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