Darwin trainer Phil Cole arrived back home on Tuesday after yet another successful Queensland sojourn where he featured during the Simpson Desert Racing Carnival.
At meetings at Betoota (August 31), Birdsville (September 6-7) and Bouderie (September 14), Cole picked up two wins at each venue.
Understandably, Cole is cooling his engines before saddling up four runners at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
Injured jockey Wayne Davis, who has a long association with the stable, was running the show in Darwin in Cole’s absence.
Three minor placings and a fourth on August 31 wasn’t a bad return for Davis before four-year-old mare Ny Kee saluted first up last Saturday in a 1200m maiden following her arrival from South Australia.
Ny Kee ($20) backs up this weekend over 1200m (Class 2) and although she’s not without a chance, Yaki Ishi, Royal Signal and Debating will provide stiff competition.
Tricky Mikki ($13), a last start second over 1000m three weeks ago, and Exceedingly Magic ($31), who has gone off the boil since toppling the fillies and mares over 1200m in July, will have their hands full over 1100m.
Classy quartet Change Is Coming, American Jazz, Zoumist and Shecanmixit boast respectable form.
Alfieri ($18) failed to run a place in his four Fannie Bay starts before finishing a narrow third over 1200m (BM54) on the last day of winter, so he could be decent each-way value over 1300m (0-58) against Extreme Emotion, Ariarne, Kessler and To The Point.
With Davis indisposed, Cole is also missing the services of talented apprentice Emma Lines.
There is speculation that Lines, who has been off the scene since Darwin Cup Day on August 5, may have severed ties with the Cole stable as the teenager is not expected to return to racing anytime soon.
Visiting Victorian apprentice Hannah Le Blanc retains the ride on Ny Kee, Alice Springs apprentice Lek Maloney is booked aboard Tricky Mikki, Vanessa Arnott partners Exceedingly Magic and Aaron Sweeney accompanies Alfieri.
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