Jockeys Jarrod Todd and Raymond Vigar had every reason to celebrate at Darwin on Saturday.
Todd, 36, booted home his 900th career win aboard the Ella Clarke-trained four-year-old gelding Debating over 1000m at 0-58 level.
Vigar, 29, was victorious in only his second Fannie Bay appearance since landing a winning double on Darwin Cup Day in August 2020 when the Phil Cole-trained four-year-old gelding Bryce prevailed over 1200m in BM54 company.
Debating, starting at $3.40 with online bookmakers, led comfortably for a major portion of the race before the son of Reward For Effort overcame Cole’s fast-finishing $2.90 favourite Rhesus, ridden by Vigar, by half a length.
The winner of so many races for Ella’s father Gary, it was prophetic that Todd achieved his milestone aboard a horse trained by the Clarkes.
Jarrod Todd’s 900th Career Win – 17/11/24 Darwin Race 5 (Debated)
PlayUp hope – left the fence with 200m to go before catching Gary Clarke’s Starspangledancer ($3.30) to win by three quarters of a length.
Todd, who relocated to Darwin six years ago, has been the leading jockey in the Top End and Country premiership for the past five years with 298 wins in the bank.
Arriving from New Zealand, Todd rode in Victoria before heading to the NT in 2014 where he featured during the Darwin and Alice Springs Cup Carnivals.
In early 2018, Todd and his family moved to Alice Springs.
He remained in the Red Centre until Cup Carnival ended in May before moving to Darwin where joined the Cole stable.
Todd succeeded Brendon Davis for Gary Clarke and in 2022 he won the Darwin Cup (2050m) on Playoffs, the Palmerston Sprint (1200m) on Syncline and the Alice Springs Cup (2000m) on Count Of Essex for the Top End’s 12-time champion trainer.
It was Todd’s second Darwin Cup after Royal Request delivered for Neil Dyer in 2017.
Vigar hadn’t ridden for 47 months after dealing with issues away from the track – he also faced charges in Court that were quashed.
He last appeared at Murray Bridge on New Year’s Day in 2021 before pursuing a trade where he is now a qualified plumber.
Vigar, who debuted as an apprentice in Alice Springs in August 2012, is now based in Darwin and almost won first up on Melbourne Cup Day when second aboard Ankle Rolex for Patrick Johnston.
Apart from winning the 2016 Darwin Cup on Michael Hickmott’s Canny Ballad, Vigar also won the Alice Springs Cup on Kym Healy’s Pretty Blonde and Palmerston Sprint on Garry Lefoe’s Niccoco in 2017.
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