Fittingly, champion Darwin trainer Gary Clarke and jockey Jarrod Todd claimed the final race of the 2023/24 season at Fannie Bay on Wednesday.
It occurred in the feature on Day 6 of the Darwin Cup Carnival when five-year-old gelding Shakattak – the $1.95 favourite with online bookmakers – won the $40,000 Dabble Cup (1300m).
The son of Shalaa saluted over 1300m (0-66) on July 13 following a first up seventh over 1200m (0-66) in June when he arrived from Clinton McDonald’s Cranbourne stable.
For Clarke and Todd, it was their third straight Carnival feature with Masatora sealing the $135,000 NT Derby (2050m) on July 20 and Wolfburn landing the $50,000 Metric Mile (1600m) last Saturday.
Clarke, winner of the Top End and Country trainers’ premiership for a 12th straight year, finished the season with 68 wins.
Todd ended the campaign with 60 wins to claim the jockeys’ premiership for the fifth year in the row.
Looking ahead to the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) on Saturday and the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) on Monday, Clarke and Todd are in the mix as Spaceship and Wolfburn are serious contenders.
Fourth behind leaders Plague Stone, Swing With Junior and Budgerigar in the Dabble Cup, Shakattak found clear air in the home straight before kicking away at the 100m to seal victory by 1.3 lengths.
Jason Manning’s Budgerigar ($12) fought on gamely for second after travelling three deep for the entire trip, while Neil Dyer’s Yaki Ishi ($6.50) finished strongly and wasn’t all that far away in third place.
Clarke had a winning double when six-year-old mare Adelaide River ($7), led from start to finish to overcome Tom Logan’s Polarising ($1.65 fav) and Kerry Petrick’s Flash Fiorente ($26) over 1100m.
Polarising, a spectacular last start winner, was desperately unlucky when flattened at the back of the field at the 800m before finishing 1.6 lengths adrift of the winner.
Trainer Chris Nash and jockey Mark Pegus had two wins with five-year-old mare Li’l Wonder ($5.50) getting home over 1200m (0-62) and seven-year-old gelding Mr Have A Chat ($3.20 fav) getting the chocolates over 1100m.
Li’l Wonder led from start to finish to clip Phil Cole’s Soul Spirit ($6) and Kym Healy’s Cyclonite ($19) by 3.5 lengths, while Mr Have A Chat skipped two lengths clear at the 600m before getting home by 0.8 lengths from Clarke’s Kumicho ($3.60) and Healy’s Real Valentia ($5.50).
Tayarn Halter’s I’m A Dreamer ($11), who wasn’t far from the lead, ended a 13 month drought with victory over 1600m (0-62) when the six-year-old gelding shook off Dan Morgan’s Dartboard ($12) and Petrick’s Real Divine ($21) in a blanket finish.
Neil Dyer and Noel Callow, combined for victory when five-year-old mare Ariarne hit the front exiting the back straight before clocking Chris Pollard’s stablemates Go Barney Go ($10) and Full Damage ($15) by 6.2 lengths in a 1300m maiden.
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