Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best at Darwin (23/05)

Racing action takes place in the Top End today when the Darwin Turf Club hosts a five-race card. There were six races programmed, however the 0-70 1000m was deleted at weights after only four nominations were received. Nevertheless, there are some interesting races on the programme, and we get the very first opportunity to see super sprinter Dakota Lee compete at Fannie Bay at her 16th career start.

The $28,000 DCOH Guineas in Six Weeks Open is the assignment for Dakota Lee, who gave trainer Terry Gillett one of his biggest thrills in racing when, with his daughter Dakota in the saddle, the 7yo daughter of Kuroshio and Manzie De Lago won her second Pioneer Sprint at her most recent start in the Red Centre on 2 May. The powerhouse sprinter, who had prevailed in the same race 12 months earlier, repeated the dose three weeks ago when beginning well and defying her rivals to run her down, eventually winning by 1.8 lengths from top Darwin galloper Boldinho.

She carried 61kg on that occasion and will go around with just a half-kilo more this time after her rider’s 1.5kg claim. Although better known as an out-and-out speedster, this 1300m would appear to be well within her scope – she won over 1400m as a 3yo and was a raging favourite for the AS Guineas (1600m) but failed to load and was scratched.

Her trainer still believes that 1600m will be within her range, and he may get the chance to test his theory in the Chief Minister’s Cup on 11 June. The WFA 1600m would be a race travelling miles to see if, in fact, Dakota Lee takes her place in the Carnival Day 3 feature. However, she firstly has to tick the 1300m box today but it is difficult to see her four rivals testing her, such is her great ability and will to win. By all accounts she has thrived since the Pioneer and although drawn the outside of the five runners, it will be a major shock if she has her colours lowered.

Stablemate Great Buy looks the hardest for Dakota Lee to beat. The veteran son of Helmet was only 3.5 lengths behind his illustrious stablemate when seventh in the Pioneer, and was doing his best work late along the inner. He is a previous winner over this trip – in a division of the ROANT Cup last year – when he downed subsequent 2026 Alice Springs Cup winner Magic Defense, and Raymond Vigar knows his mount well.

Atlantic Ocean, trained by Paul Shiers, was a winner two starts back over 1200m in 0-70 grade, but then could manage only fifth of five behind Field Of Flutes over 1100m on 9 May. This trip should suit him better and Deborah Barton’s 2kg claim brings him in nicely with just 53kg, a whopping 8.5kg less than Dakota Lee. The six-race winner should be competitive.

Awash was an eye-catching third behind Field Of Flutes last time and with 200m further to go here, he should hit the line well again, although 1600m and beyond is far more up his alley. Maxxi Bon, whose last-start sixth came in the Alice Springs Cup over 2000m, has only attempted this distance once previously and like Awash, would be better served over more ground.

Almost as interesting is the fourth race of the day, the TAB TROBIS 3YO Handicap (1100m) which brings together five second-season gallopers all looking to put their name in lights with the first of the Carnival features, the DCOH Darwin Guineas over 1600m, only six weeks away.

Rivers Of Babylon, trained by Rhonda Cole, is the only one of the quintet to have raced in Darwin, and he finished runner-up to Good Onya Darl over this distance a fortnight ago. That was his first Top End start and just his third overall, so he should be improved by that effort.

Gary Clarke and Chloe Baxter have a pair of representatives apiece in the event – Clarke will saddle up Merimbula, who is the only winner in the field, and Pafitis, while Baxter will pin her hopes on Forging Ahead and Sweet Twilight.

Merimbula, who won over 1500m at Mornington on 27 November, has since raced on three further occasions over distances between 1400m and 2007m, but the son of Blue Point, by virtue of having won a race, must be highly fancied. Stablemate Pafitis, who will be ridden by Jarrod Todd, was second over 1200m at Colac when last produced on 1 March, and had earlier been placed at Cranbourne, Ballarat and Pakenham when trained by Ciaron Maher.

Forging Ahead, a son of Golden Slipper winner Farnan, has been placed three times from seven attempts in Queensland, with his last start producing an eighth placing at Eagle Farm over 1400m on 4 February. Sweet Twilight completes the line-up and the daughter of Trapeze Artist has finished in the first four at each of her six starts when trained by Richard and Will Freedman. It promises to be an intriguing affair and we will be all the wiser once the result has been posted.

The weather in Darwin this week has been mostly fine although there is still the chance of a shower or storm as the humidity is sticking around longer than anticipated. The official forecast for today reads: Mostly sunny. Light winds. The temperature is forecast to reach 32 degrees during the day, and it will be 23 degrees overnight. There is just a 10% chance of any rain.

The first race on the six-race card gets underway at 2.01pm (NT time), which is 2.31pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 4.35pm (NT time), or 5.05pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R2 # 1 DAKOTA LEE
Tremendous mare who will be having her first ever start in the Top End. However, has trialled here on several occasions previously. Comes off a fantastic victory in the Pioneer Sprint on 2 May, when leading throughout to record back-to-back Pioneers on her former home track. Dakota Gillett’s 1.5kg claim will bring her in with 61.5kg, just a half-kilo more than she won with last time. 1300m would appear to be no issue for the 7yo, who won over 1400m as a 3yo. You won’t get rich but she should be winning her 14th race at her 16th career start.

R3 # 5 SELF SERVE
Very unlucky when fourth behind Runaway Tycoon and company over 1100m here on 9 May. Copped a check at the top of the straight which halted her momentum, and she did a good job to finish as close as she did, beaten just 4.2 lengths. The extra 100m should be to her liking and the 4yo daughter of Ocean Park has drawn to get a nice run in transit. Hannah Le Blanc rides again and she should prove very hard to beat.

R5 # 2 BOLLON
Improving son of Super Seth who picked up his second career win over this trip of 1600m on 24 April. That was a 0-64 and he actually drops in grade to a 0-58 for this assignment. Jarrod Todd will again have the mount for Gary Clarke, and although drawn out a bit in gate eight, he drew six last time and got the chocolates by almost eight lengths after leading throughout. Can see the same thing happening again.

SELECTIONS

RACE 1 – 1, 3, 4, 6
RACE 2 – 1, 2, 4, 3
RACE 3 – 5, 1, 3, 2
RACE 4 – 1, 5, 2, 3
RACE 5 – 2, 9, 4, 1

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