After a seven-week break, Crazy Lad returned at Fannie Bay on Saturday and saluted in the Darwin Racing Benchmark 54 Handicap (1200m), which was also the first heat in the Darwin Turf Club’s 2022/23 Lightning Wet Season Series.
Settling seventh along the back straight in a very open nine-horse field, Crazy Lad ($11) travelled comfortably along the rails after jumping from the inside barrier.
With Alice Springs apprentice Ianish Luximon aboard, Crazy Lad worked his way through the gears down the side and found himself in fourth place with 400m to go approaching the home turn.
Once straightening for home Crazy Lad, benefitting from a 3kg claim, got off the fence and set after the leaders Lucky Dog (Stan Tsaikos) and War Games (Phil Crich), who were inseparable from the outset.
Crazy Lad hit the front with 100m to go to prevail by a length from the fast-finishing Yowza (Vanessa Arnott), a $7 hope from the Tayarn Halter stable, with Dick Leech’s War Games ($31) pipping Chris Pollard’s Lucky Dog ($4.80) for third place in what was a tight finish.
Last-start winner Blueant (Sonja Wiseman), who kept War Games and Lucky Dog honest, lost touch with 62kg on his back and finished one length adrift in fifth place.
Darwin R4 replay | November 12, 2022 | Crazy Lad (1st)
It was a pleasing result for the winning horse’s trainer, Phil Cole, who also praised Luximon’s work in the saddle.
“I was very happy with Crazy Lad on Saturday,” Cole said.
“It was a great ride by Ianish and I was very happy with the result.”
Crazy Lad was part of the 11-horse team Cole took to rural Queensland in August, winning back-to-back races at Birdsville and Bedourie before an underwhelming ninth at Longreach on September 24.
“He only had three runs in Queensland and we had planned to run him a couple of times lately, but we chose not to,” the trainer said.
“Just haven’t been 100 per cent happy with him and haven’t found the right races.
“He has been in work pretty much since returning home and we elected not to start him until Saturday.”
The Lightning Wet Season Series comprises seven $20,000 heats with the $40,000 final scheduled for Australia Day, with Cole agreeing that the race on Saturday came along at the right time for Crazy Lad.
“I just think the cards fell that way,” he said.
“I nominated him for a couple of mile races before Saturday – he’s won three of his last four and he’s got a very good fresh record.
“While we were in Queensland we actually did a lot of extra ground work with him.
“Genuinely when he has raced in Darwin he has resented the kick back and tries to run off the track a bit and do things.
“Before we went to Queensland he definitely had pretty solid Darwin form without winning.
“I always had a bit of faith that he would come back and win races, and I thought he was a chance on Saturday.”
It was only Cole’s second win since returning from Queensland, but considering he was the runner-up in the Top End trainers’ premiership last season, better days surely lay ahead.
Others from the stable to feature in Queensland included Saccharo, Kronos, Stroke Of Magic, Andaman, Maxaway, Do Your Best, Faith And Love, Ghetto, Kick It Baby and It’s Pins.
Saccharo was the star, winning the iconic Birdsville Cup (1600m) and Bedourie Cup (1600m), while Kronos won Birdsville’s feature sprint (1100m).
“Saccharo is spelling at the moment, he will start work next week and then we’ll get him ready to race,” Cole said.
Arriving from Victoria midway through the year, Saccharo has had five starts at Fannie Bay for a win, a second and a third – his win coming on Darwin Cup Day (August 1) in open company over 1600m.
The seven-year-old gelding, who once saluted at Flemington, also finished second behind the Gary Clarke-trained Vallabar in the Katherine Cup (1700m) before debuting in Queensland.
Meanwhile, it was a welcome return to form for the Clarke-trained Siakam (Jarrod Todd) at 0-64 level (1300m) after just missing out in his past two starts when he finished third in October and second on Melbourne Cup Day.
Siakam ($4.20), a winner on August 27, found the front by the 900m and was never headed before overcoming a flying Zou Der Zee (Vanessa Arnott), Halter’s $41 outsider, who was well adrift in the back straight, with Angela Forster’s $12 hope Zoumist (Dan Morgan) third.
Having also won on August 27, the Jason Manning-trained Minister (Arnott) finished unplaced in his next two starts before bouncing back to form with victory at 0-58 level (1000m).
Settling fourth along the rails, Minister ($3.20 fav) stuck to the fence before bursting clear of the pack with 200m to go to seal victory from Halter’s fast-finishing $3.70 hope Hattan Man (Tsaikos) and Cole’s $6 starter Brazenpine (Luximon).
Henestrosa (Paul Denton), Clarke’s $16 hopeful, was easily six lengths in front of his maiden and Class 2 rivals (1100m) leaving the back straight, while Leech’s $3 runner Flying Deputy (Crich) settled midfield before losing momentum down the side.
Turning for home, the winless Henetrosa was still four lengths clear and looked set to hold on before the winless Flying Deputy stormed home in the final 300m along the fence to secure a last stride win with Clarke’s $2.80 favourite Brave Fling (Todd) third.
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