SENTrack: Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best bets at Darwin (21/06)

With only two weeks until the opening day of the 2025 Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival, another key lead-up fixture takes place today, with no less than seven quality races up for decision at Fannie Bay. The sprinters and the 3yos are on show today, and the two features promise to be hotly contested.

The short-course gallopers do battle in the $25,500 Sky Racing Handicap, an open handicap over 1000m. Eight have accepted for the dash, with Tayarn Halter doubly represented by Canton Kid and Forms Of Fear, who are first-up from a break. Both should perform well, but the in-form Flying Annie gets my vote to make it two wins from her last three starts.

The Gary Clarke-trained 6yo daughter of Flying Artie has been in great form since returning from an up and down AS Carnival where she had two starts for a third and a last. She won on her Top End resumption over 1100m on 10 May, beating stablemate Rising Sphere narrowly, then was second best behind the same horse a fortnight ago, beaten 1.5 lengths. She has drawn a little awkwardly in barrier six, but Aaron Sweeney knows her well and she possesses plenty of pace, which will likely take her to the lead or close to it in the early stages of the race. She shows plenty of fight in her races and if allowed to get a soft sectional somewhere, she promises to be there at the finish.

Forms Of Fear never went a bad race during his last campaign, winning twice, finishing second once and third on three occasions from a total of six starts. He was far too good for Doc O’Connor over 1200m on 21 February, and in his last start of the preparation on 15 March, he was a close-up third to Mr Have A Chat, beaten just 0.2 lengths. The 5yo is talented and Raymond Vigar, who knows him well, takes the mount, although with 55kg, Forms Of Fear is expected to carry a kilo overweight. He has drawn ideally in barrier two and will likely be one of, if not the sole, leader.

Brat is an interesting runner, having his first run in Darwin at his 48th raceday start. Terry Gillett’s 6yo, who has won 12 races in the Red Centre, including one in Tennant Creek, is a quick beginner and from the inside gate, should be right on the pace from the outset. He has a decent record at this trip with two wins, two seconds and two thirds from nine starts, and Stan Tsaikos has combined with the son of Reward For Effort for no less than half his career wins. The Gillett team has made a good start to life in the Top End and a bold showing from Brat would not surprise.

Topweight Ideas Man must always be considered in a race such as this. Chris Nash’s 7yo son of Brazen Beau was very good first-up when finding the line well to take third behind Rising Sphere and Flying Annie, and although the 1000m at this stage of his preparation may be a little on the short side, the quality sprinter has won five times and been placed on a further seven occasions from 19 attempts at the trip. The draw won’t help him either, although he is one place wider than Flying Annie and may be able to get a cart across if that mare, as expected, jumps well and heads forward. Adam Nicholls, who was in career best form last week with a quartet of wins, will take the mount on the topweight, who will carry 61.5kg, down a half-kilo from his last-start placing.

Canton Kid cannot be discounted either. He won his last start on 12 April over 1200m, beating Pink Panther and company comfortably, and Jade Hampson takes the mount for Halter. Like Ideas Man and Flying Annie, the chestnut has drawn out wide and will actually jump from the outside gate of eight. But he is a talented short-course performer and with just 55kg, he gets in well here.

Two-time Palmerston Sprint winner Early Crow returns to action for the first time since a disappointing 10th of 12 in the Pioneer Sprint, but back on his favoured Fannie Bay surface, he could easily turn that form around. He should derive plenty of improvement from the run, however, and may just be run off his legs here. Crazy Brave, resuming from a spell, and Rustic Boom, from the Neil Dyer stable, complete the line-up and while they have definite claims on their best form, they may struggle in this event.

The $23,000 Sportsbet Gala Ball 2 August 3YO Handicap, a 1300m event at Benchmark 66 level, is the major lead-up to the $75,000 DCOH Darwin Guineas (1600m) in a fortnight, and the Guineas winner could well be on show in this. An excellent field has been assembled, and with Vanguard Legend, who has won his last two starts, AS Guineas winner The Men Went Home, smart Bruno Bruno, last-start maiden winner Fly and Snore Room engaged, it promises to be a hard-fought contest. The winner of the event is exempt from the ballot for the Guineas on 5 July, so it should be a race worth the price of admission to see.

Another Guineas contender, Vieri, takes on some older horses (as well as a couple of fellow 3yos) in the Darwin Cup We’re All In! Handicap over 1600m, and judged on his three placed efforts in Darwin to date, this trip should suit him nicely. A win here would go a long way towards ensuring a start in the Guineas.

The weather in the Top End this week has been almost perfect, with cooler mornings and warm, sunny days. The official forecast for today reads: Sunny. Light winds becoming east to south easterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the day. The temperature is forecast to reach 31 degrees during the day, and 20 overnight, while there is just a 5% chance of any rainfall.

The first race on the seven-race card gets underway at 1.31pm (NT time), which is 2.01pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 5.05pm (NT time), or 5.35pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R1 # 7 STORMFRONT
Visitor to Darwin now in the Peter Robl stable. Formerly trained by Clinton McDonald in Victoria. Lightly-raced 4yo with three wins and three thirds from just nine career outings. Last three starts in Victoria have yielded a win at Cranbourne over this trip and two third placings, one at Cranbourne and most recently at Sandown Hillside on 21 May. Has had just one start on the Pakenham synthetic for a win. Off the minimum here and should be very hard to head off.

R4 # 1 LITTLE DITTY
Finished a narrow second but won the race in the inquiry room when last produced here on 7 June. That was over this trip (1100m) in BM54 grade, and this 0-58 is very similar. Scored with 59kg last time, and has just a half-kilo more to carry here with Dakota-Lee Gillett’s 1.5kg apprentice claim. Drawn nicely in barrier five and is a go-forward horse – will be prominent for a very long way.

R7 # 3 DANGER MAN
Bolted in here two starts back over 1600m when letting down like a sprinter in the home straight. Could not repeat the dose last week but nevertheless tried hard and finished well behind Desert Mist in this grade and over this same trip. Has drawn awkwardly here in barrier nine, but can settle off the speed and possesses a strong late finish. Kristo Sardelic, who has been aboard for the last two starts, again teams up with the Chris Pollard-trained 7yo, who will surely give another good account of himself.

SELECTIONS

FANNIE BAY RACECOURSE (DARWIN) – GOOD
RACE 1 – 7, 6, 5, 1
RACE 2 – 2, 6, 3, 9
RACE 3 – 8, 1, 3, 2
RACE 4 – 1, 7, 8, 9
RACE 5 – 3, 5, 8, 1
RACE 6 – 4, 1, 7, 5
RACE 7 – 3, 2, 1, 9

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