Darwin trainer Gary Clarke and jockey Jarrod Todd continue to rule the roost in the Top End racing premierships.
With 68 wins for the 2034/24 season, Clarke made it 12 successive premierships.
Todd (60), Clarke’s No.1 stable rider, claimed the jockeys’ premiership for the fifth straight year.
After eight meetings, Clarke (13) and Todd (11) also topped the charts during the recent Darwin Cup Carnival.
Clarke was the leading trainer during the carnival for the 11th time, including the last seven in succession.
Todd has been the carnival’s top jockey on eight occasions, leading the way for the past five years.
Clarke and Todd won three Darwin Cup Carnival features together: the NT Derby (2050m) with Masatora, the Metric Mile (1600m) with Wolfburn, and the Dabble Cup (1300m) with Shakkatak.
The pair also combined for second place in the Darwin Cup (2050m) and Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) with Wolfburn, while Clarke had runners-up in the Palmerston Sprint (1200m) with Lumber Punk and the Metric Mile (1600m) with Pink Panther.
“You can’t question the talents and success of Gary and Jarrod,” fellow Darwin jockey Sonja Logan said.
“Clarkie’s strike rate was really good again last season, he’s proven year after year that it’s always up there.
“It’s the same thing with Toddy as well winning the premiership up here.
“Gary has a lot more horses compared to other trainers.
“Good luck to them, but it’s hard to keep up with them.”
Apprentice Emma Lines (33), last season’s third-ranked rider after debuting in December 2022, was second at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
The 17-year-old also punched home nine winners during the Darwin Cup Carnival.
“Emma put up a bit of a fight halfway through the year, she definitely had a great season, it’s good to see,” Logan said.
“I’ve seen her go from someone that was very quiet and reserved to someone who has come out of her shell.
“Emma is a tough girl and is riding with a lot of confidence, which helps.”
Phil Cole (33), Lines’ boss, once again finished second in the trainers’ premiership.
“Phil keeps snapping away at Clarkie’s heels,” Logan added.
“They’re the two biggest stables in Darwin, their numbers out-trump every other trainer up here and they’re getting results too, which is good.”
Meanwhile, Terry Gillett (25) and Paul Denton (24) were the leading trainer and jockey, respectively, in the Alice Springs racing premierships.
Gillett, who last won the title three years ago, edged out Paul Gardner (23), while Denton won his third title from last year’s champion, Logan (19.5).
Denton, 60, who celebrated 40 years in the NT as a rider in 2023, booted home his 500th Alice Springs winner in June.
“Razor (Gillett) was pretty consistent, he’s strike rate picked up towards the end of the season,” Logan said.
“He just picked up a few more wins over Paul, who also had a terrific season.
“Dash (Denton) got me this year, it was really good to have a bit of a battle and fight it out to the end.”
Top NT trainers in 2023/24 season
- Gary Clarke – 71
- Phil Cole – 34
- Terry Gillett – 25
- Paul Gardner – 24
- Kerry Petrick – 23.5
Top NT jockeys in 2023/24 season
- Jarrod Todd – 63
- Emma Lines (a) – 47
- Sonja Logan – 38.5
- Jade Hampson (a) – 32
- Stan Tsaikos – 28
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