Trainer Kerry Petrick and jockey Paul Denton have combined for the second straight year to claim the $135,000 NT Derby (2050m) at Fannie Bay.
Saturday’s feature event on Day 4 of the Darwin Cup Carnival was won by three-year-old filly Anphina ($4.60), who made her winning move at the top of the home straight before prevailing by 0.18 lengths from Kym Healy’s gallant $5 hope Grinzinger Bishop (Emma Lines).
The daughter of Rebel Dane, making her 16th start, brought respectable form to the Top End after campaigning for Stawell trainer Andrew Bobbin in Adelaide in April and May.
Last year, Petrick and Denton celebrated Derby success with Venting.
For Petrick, a leading trainer in the NT for over 25 years, it was her second Derby win, and for Denton, a rider with 40 years of experience, it was his Derby third win after saluting on David Balfour’s Rocket Flight in 1997.
Petrick, who spends time in Darwin and Alice Springs during the year, and Denton, now based in Alice Springs, are a formidable pairing having registered their 100th win on April 8 when Real Divine saluted during the Alice Springs Carnival.
After kicking off her training career in Darwin in 1996, Petrick – born and raised in Alice Springs – won her first race with Better Western at Fannie Bay on February 8, 1997 with Denton in the saddle.
Anphina was a runner up in her second start as a two-year-old over 1400m at Flemington in May last year before winning at her fifth start as a three-year-old over 1400m (BM62) at Morphettville in September.
Having had seven other starts in Victoria – with her best return a third over 1450m (Class 1) at Kyneton – Bobbin took Anphina back to Adelaide where she proved competitive.
Two fourths in the listed Clare Lindop Stakes (1600m) and Group 3 Auraria Stakes (1800m), the filly then finished 6.1 lengths adrift in 11th place in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) before a sixth in the Group 3 South Australian Fillies Classic (2500m).
A less than flattering seventh in her NT debut for Petrick against fellow three-year-olds over 1300m (BM66) on June 24 was followed by a strong finish in the $75,000 Darwin Guineas (1600m) two weeks ago.
Anphina, jumping from gate 11 in the 12-horse Derby field, settled comfortably on the fence in seventh place as Phil Cole’s $3.40 favourite and Darwin Guineas winner Tubthumper (Wayne Davis) led the field into the back straight at the 1300m.
Although the field bunched down the side, little changed as far as the racing order was concerned with the filly Tubthumper still out in front in her quest to seal the inaugural “Darwin Double” – a $50,000 bonus – as the winner of the Guineas and Derby.
Approaching the home turn at the 400m, Anphina left the fence in pursuit of glory as fourth-placed Grinzinger Bishop, a 5.3 length winner over 1600m (0-64) against his own age group in the gelding’s Top End debut on Guineas Day, who was also camped on the rails moved up into second place.
Gary Clarke’s Nouveau Marche (fifth) and Field Commander and Chris Nash’s Fortis In Armis weren’t far away turning for home, while Dick Leech’s Century Fox, the NT Guineas winner in Alice Springs in April, was making ground – albeit five wide – after keeping Anphina company along the back straight.
Turning for home and with 350m to go, it was a three-way battle up front as Anphina, who finally found a gap, looked to split Tubthumper and Grinzinger Bishop as Fortis In Armis ($13) and Century Fox ($3.70), who started from barrier 12, began to wane.
It was still tight going passing the 200m before Anphina pinched a break from Grinzinger Bishop as Tubthumper, who basically led all the way in the Guineas before pipping Century Fox by a 0.1 lengths, lost touch.
Under the vigorous riding of Denton, Anphina (56kg) looked like she would win without too much duress before Grinzinger Bishop (58kg) lifted for apprentice Lines, who was in the saddle when Tubthumper won the Guineas, found it’s second wind to go down narrowly in an exciting finish.
First and second could were fantastic, but Fierce Legend ($151) from the Neil Dyer yard and with Aaron Sweeney as the pilot was a distant eighth passing the 1000m before coming home with a wet sail to finish 2.7 lengths adrift in third place.
Kyneton-based Dyer, who has had NT Derby and Darwin Cup success with Hawks Bay and Royal Request, was brought to the Top End for the Derby and finally clicked into gear after three disappointing performances.
Tubthumper did a wonderful job to finish fourth – the only time she hasn’t won a race from four starts in Darwin after winning a 1200m maiden on June 3 following her arrival from Queensland.
Iknowhatyouredoing (Ianish Luximon), starting at $19 with the betting sites from the Kevin Lamprecht stable after coming fourth in the Guineas, could be one to watch as he was a long last along the back straight before making up considerable ground to finish 4.3 lengths behind the winner in sixth place.
2023 NT Derby Race Replay – Anphina (1st)
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