With the Darwin Cup Carnival imminent, it might well be a good idea to keep an eye on the Kerry Petrick-trained Magnolia Rose.
The five-year-old mare, the daughter of Kermadec, caught the eye in three starts in the Red Centre last month before and during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival.
Formerly trained by Dane Smith at Stawell, Magnolia Rose ($7) finished third over 1200m (0-64) behind Norse Mythology on a wet and muddy dirt surface at Pioneer Parktop betting sites over 1600m (0-62) despite dealing with the riderless Yowza, who exited the barriers minus jockey Jade Hampson, midway through the race.
Six days later, the former Victorian galloper ($3.80) finished 2.2 lengths behind Madam Mischief in fourth place in the $30,000 Queen Of The Desert 0-76 Handicap (1200m) – the Carnival’s feature race for the fillies and mares.
Veteran NT jockey Paul Denton, based in Alice Springs these days, partnered the horse in her first two races and only forfeited the ride to Phillip Crich in the Queen Of The Desert because of suspension.
Magnolia Rose, along with stablemates New Roman and Principal Belle, arrived in Darwin by truck on Thursday from the Red Centre stable of high-profile NT trainer Petrick and will debut in the Top End on Saturday over 1600m (0-70).
Denton was in the truck for the 1500km trek up the Stuart Highway.
The fact that it appears unlikely the mare will get to work at Fannie Bay before the weekend could hinder her hopes, but if Magnolia Rose picks up from where she left off in Central Australia then anything is possible.
Denton is a fan of the horse, who had four wins from 22 starts in Victoria, and could not fault her efforts in the Alice.
“Her first start was good, she ran on the track when it was rolled and wet over 1200m and got behind and ran home nicely for third,” he said.
“I watched her replays, most of her races down south over 1400m and 1600m she led.
“In her next start over the mile when she led she had a soft lead until we got to the 1100m when something from behind was attacking me.
“It was the riderless horse, so it made her race a bit keen down the back and then it sort of half chopped me off at the 800m, but it then got out of my road and she won pretty well.
“It actually kept her mind on the job up the home straight.
“She then had one more run in the Queen Of The Desert.
“She was probably looking for another mile, but there were no races for her – so we had to bring her back to the 1200m.
“The fact she still ran a good race was a good sign, she got home and hit the line well.
“I actually like her a lot and I think she’ll be competitive in Darwin – we only brought her up here today.
“Racing on Saturday will be a tough task, first run on the track and she probably won’t even get to work on it.
“In saying that, she proved that she was adaptable in Alice and I think she will acquit herself pretty well.
“Like I said to Kerry, she ran on that track in Alice when it was rolled and hard.
“Then at her next start when she won it was a different track, so you never know.
“Looking ahead to the Darwin Carnival, I think she’ll make a lovely Toyota Cup horse myself.”
The $50,000 Bridge Toyota Cup (1600m) at 0-76 level is scheduled for Day 3 of the Darwin Cup Carnival on July 19, but so too is the $35,000 Rosebowl (1300m) at 0-70 level for the fillies and mares.
Meanwhile, Denton and Petrick, who spends time in the Top End and the Red Centre at different stages during the year, are busily preparing for a Darwin Cup Carnival campaign after recently celebrating 100 wins as a combination.
The milestone was achieved on April 8 – Day 1 of the Alice Carnival – when four-year-old mare Real Divine saluted at Pioneer Park.
“Kerry and I had been in the 90s for about two or three years because I’ve been in Alice and she’s been up here in Darwin,” Denton said.
“We’ve had a long association, I actually rode her first winner as a trainer.
“We’ve won a couple of Alice Springs Cups together and we won the NT Derby last year with Venting.
“To get a 100 wins up here is special for a trainer, it’s a big achievement, especially as we don’t race very often.”
Petrick, who started out as a trainer in Darwin in 1996, and Denton, a fixture in the NT for some 40 years, won their first race together at Fannie Bay with Better Western on February 8, 1997.
Denton has also ridden 100 winners for former champion Alice Springs trainer Lisa Whittle, who farewelled the NT earlier this year and relocated to South Australia after spending some 25 years in the Red Centre.
Finally, Petrick, who has posted 12 winners at Pioneer Park – including four during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival – and three winners at Fannie Bay this season, will have some 15 runners on deck for the Darwin Carnival.
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