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Andrew O’Toole’s SATURDAY best at Darwin (13/12)
Andrew O’Toole • December 13th, 2025 2:00 pm
The last Darwin meeting prior to Christmas takes place at Fannie Bay today with a five-race card. The fields are a little on the light side, due to this fixture being the third in successive weeks in the Top End. Following the meeting, there is a fortnight until the next card of racing on Saturday 27 December, with the first of the three January meetings a fortnight later on Friday 9 January.
The $23,400 Sportsbet Handicap, a Benchmark 76 1100m, is the feature event on the card and unfortunately boasts the smallest field with just five to go around. Two of the five come from the stable of leading trainer Gary Clarke and I fancy one of the pair, Field Of Flutes, to be the hardest to beat.
Field Of Flutes, a 6yo son of Deep Field, created a good impression when he first came to Darwin, winning his first two starts in good style before an unsuccessful one-start campaign in Alice Springs. He was below his best during the Darwin Cup Carnival but bounced back strongly when beating stablemate Boldinho (who has since gone on to win five-straight) on 23 August.
In three starts since, he has twice been second and once fifth, with Boldinho the winner of all three. His last-start runner-up effort, beaten just a length, came on 25 October and he seems to race well with his races spaced a little – it will be seven weeks between runs but that would appear to be no impediment to Field Of Flutes’ chances. Jarrod Todd takes the mount this time – he has had four rides on the gelding for two wins – and from a nice gate of three, he should be right on the speed in what promises to be a hot race.
Zourata, trained by Peter Robl at the Gold Coast but in the care of local trainer Terry Gillett just lately, looks the obvious main danger to Field Of Flutes. The eight-race winner has not raced since finishing a game second to Wild Beau in the Montgomerie Lightning (1000m) on Darwin Cup Day and he is a serious short-course performer.
Although he finished only eighth in the Palmerston Sprint behind three-time winner Early Crow, Zourata had won over this trip at his previous attempt and is a three-time winner from nine attempts at this distance. He has also been victorious and three times placed from six first-up attempts, and with Sonja Logan to take the mount, he promises to be in the firing line for a long way, especially from an ideal barrier of two.
Clarke’s second representative, Flying Annie, cannot be left out of calculations either. She seldom goes a bad race and was a fine close-up third to Early Crow in the Palmerston on 2 August and in two starts since, has finished in the minor placings behind Boldinho, the most recent when third and beaten over seven lengths on 25 October. However, she is a quality mare and Aaron Sweeney, who knows her inside out, takes the steer today and she will add to the speed battle from barrier four.
Bon’s Pride is resuming from a spell since going a career-best race for second in the Palmerston in early August. He is a quality galloper who cannot be discounted. However, he has yet to salute in five starts at 1100m and has not won from five first-up attempts, so he will definitely have some improvement to come out of this assignment. That said, he is the winner of eight races and a bold showing would not surprise.
Atlantic Ocean completes the line-up and he should be improved for his first-up fifth behind the in-form Sunzou over this trip on 15 November. He would prefer more ground no doubt, but if the pace is on, as it looks certain to be, he could be flooding home late.
The Clarke stable looks in for a good day, with Physical Graffiti a solid chance in the second on the card, Straya Pride should be hard to beat in the third, while All Inclusive, who has been somewhat disappointing since winning on his Darwin debut back in May, has had some gear changes for the last race of the day and a bold showing looks likely.
The weather in Darwin this week has been mostly fine and sunny, although a thunderstorm early in the week dropped some 50mm on Fannie Bay and these are always on the cards at this time of the year. The official forecast for today reads: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds. The temperature is forecast to reach 33 degrees, and it will be 25 degrees overnight. There is a 50% chance of 0-5mm of rain.
The first race on the five-race card gets underway at 2.57pm (NT time), which is 4.27pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 5.15pm (NT time), or 6.45pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R1 # 1 DEBATINGStruck winning form again here last week for the first time in over 12 months. Had not had many starts between wins though, and recent form prior to his win had been sound. Takes on a similar grade again and jumps from the same gate (3) as a week ago. Jarrod Todd stays aboard for trainer Ella Clarke and now he has found his best form, can go on with the job in the day’s opener.
R3 # 4 STRAYA PRIDETwo-time Darwin winner who is getting close to another success on the track. Last two efforts for third placings behind Jumping Power Two (won again since) and Bryce have been full of merit, and has won three times from eight attempts at this distance of 1200m. Drawn out a bit but Todd has the mount and in this seven-horse line-up, he can make his presence felt. Tough to hold out.
R5 # 5 ROSSANADOSmart mare resuming from a spell. Created a good impression in her first Top End campaign, with a win and three placings, including a fine third in the Rosebowl against older opposition on Day 3 of the 2025 Darwin Cup Carnival. Backed that up with a close second to Miami Baby in a 3yo sprint affair. Has not raced since Darwin Cup Day (4 August) but if anywhere near ready for this first-up assignment, will give a good account of herself for trainer/rider Paul Shiers.
SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – 1, 5, 2, 6RACE 2 – 6, 4, 5, 1RACE 3 – 4, 1, 2, 3RACE 4 – 3, 2, 4, 1RACE 5 – 5, 2, 1, 6
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