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SENTrack: Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best bets at Darwin (12/04)
Andrew O’Toole • April 12th, 2025 12:30 pm
With the Alice Springs Cup Carnival having concluded last Sunday, racing returns to the Top End today for the first time for just over a fortnight. Although the fields are not large in size, there are nevertheless six races and some 39 acceptors at the fixture, the first of three successive weeks of racing at Fannie Bay during the month of April.
The feature event is the fourth on the card, the $25,500 Silks Darwin Cup Packages on Sale Now Handicap, which is an open sprint over 1200m. Gary Clarke, the 12-time leading Top End trainer who somewhat surprisingly had a very quiet Alice Carnival, has three runners engaged, and holds a strong hand with Pink Panther, Siakam and Mr Cashman his representatives.
Pink Panther, to be ridden by Jarrod Todd, resumed from an almost six-month spell when finishing fourth behind stablemate Field Of Flutes over 1100m on 7 February. He has not started since, a further break of some nine weeks, but this looks a nice target for him and he is more than adept at this trip of 1200m, having won three times and been placed on a further six occasions.
He raced extremely well during last year’s Darwin Cup Carnival, finishing third in the Toyota Cup, second to stablemate Wolfburn in the Metric Mile and was then second on Cup Day behind Hamlet Von Snitzel. He followed that up with another minor placing behind Venting in the Katherine Cup before being spelled. Now a 6yo, he adapted to the sand and oil-based surface of the Top End in great style, and he seems certain to be all the better for that experience in this preparation.
Stablemate Siakam has been a tremendous money-spinner for his connections since coming to the Territory some four years ago. He arrived here as a maiden and has won no less than ten races since and gathered a further 20 placings for stakes of just over $250,000. He comes here off a last-start win over 1100m on 28 March, and his regular rider Adam Nicholls, who rode a double on Alice Springs Cup Day, again takes the mount. The pair promise to give Pink Panther plenty of opposition in the feature.
Bon’s Your Back, from the Chris Pollard stable, was an eye-catching third at his first Top End start behind the smart Brazen Bon on 28 March. Although just a three-race winner, Bon’s Your Back, like Brazen Bon a son of Bon Aurum, hit the line well in that 0-70 event and even though stepping up in grade again to open company, he would only need to reproduce his last effort to be right in this. AS Cup-winning rider Hannah Le Blanc is again in the saddle.
Canton Kid was second in the same race last start, fighting on doggedly after leading to be beaten just a half-length by Brazen Bon. He is a capable sprinter in the Tayarn Halter stable, and with Paul Shiers to do the steering, he must be included in your multiples.
Of the others, Star Magnum has plenty of ability but has yet to hit winning form this campaign, while Mr Cashman, normally such a consistent performer, has blotted his copybook somewhat at his last two starts, finishing towards the rear on both occasions. However, on his best form he would give this a real shake.
Other good chances on the card include Physical Graffiti (Clarke/Todd) in the third, Miami Vice (Phil Cole/Wayne Davis) in the fifth and Marvelous night, trained by Tommy Logan and to be ridden by his wife Sonja, in the sixth.
The weather in the Top End this week has been a mix of fine and unsettled weather, with a thunderstorm or two mainly in the evening. The official forecast for today reads: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the afternoon. The temperature is forecast to reach 33 degrees during the day, and 24 overnight, while 0-15mm of rain is forecast, with a 70% chance of rainfall.
The first race on the six-race card gets underway at 2.12pm (NT time), which is 2.42pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 5.25pm (NT time), or 5.55pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R3 # 1 PHYSICAL GRAFFITITwo runs to date in the Top End have been encouraging, with third placings behind Shecanmixit and Two Times Twice over 1000m and 1100m respectively. Steps up to 1200m here and from the inside gate should either lead or be in the leading division, and can break through for his first Top End win. Jarrod Todd retains the mount and in this seven-horse line-up, looks the one to beat.
R5 # 1 MIAMI VICERacing consistently for Phil Cole. Was a winner over this trip of 1000m three starts back, before a close-up fourth to Shecanmixit on 21 February. Last time out, on 15 March, he chased home Just For Marcus over 1100m, and the drop back by 100m here should not be an impediment. Seldom goes a bad race and with only four rivals, can collect his fourth career win at his 22nd start.
R6 # 1 MARVELOUS NIGHTTried hard behind the smart He’s Essential in an apprentice only race on 28 March, going down by 4.5 lengths but well clear of the chasing pack. That was his second-up start and he should have come on for it, especially getting out to his favoured 1600m distance at which he has won twice and been four times second. Should be able to roll along on speed and will take a power of catching in the last of the day.
SELECTIONS
FANNIE BAY RACECOURSE (DARWIN) – GOODRACE 1 – 1, 3, 2, 6RACE 2 – 5, 1, 3, 7RACE 3 – 1, 4, 2, 3RACE 4 – 3, 2, 6, 5RACE 5 – 1, 2, 4, 3RACE 6 – 1, 3, 2, 4
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