| What | Darwin Cup Carnival – Day 5 |
| Where | Fannie Bay Racecourse – Dick Ward Drive, Fannie Bay, NT, 0820 |
| When | Saturday, July 29, 2023 |
| First Race | 1:08pm ACST |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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Day 5 of the Darwin Cup Carnival will be interesting as it’s the last hitout for contenders before the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) on August 5 and $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) on August 7. The winner of the $32,000 Flying Sprint (1100m) and $50,000 Metric Mile (1600m) will qualify for the two feature races. There are 61 acceptors for the seven races on Saturday with $210,000 up for grabs.
It’s another week without rain in the Top End, with sunshine and light easterly winds forecast along with a top temperature of 33C. The rail is in the true position and Fannie Bay will be a good dirt surface.
Best Bet at Darwin – Ankle Rolex
After a disappointing fourth in the NT Guineas (1600m) in Alice Springs in April, the son of Cable Bay returned after a three-month spell to take on fellow three-year-olds over 1100m (BM66) two weeks ago to finish second behind Doc O’Connor. Ankle Rolex gave the winner a fair start before rattling home in the final stages to go down by half a length. After a debut win on New Year’s Eve in an 1100m maiden at Fannie Bay, the gelding came fifth over 1200m (0-58) and then won by 6.5 lengths over 1200m against Class 2 and maiden performer before another fifth over 1100m against three and four-year-olds. Headed to Alice Springs and proved too good for his own age group over 1200m and 1400m before trailing Century Fox in the Guineas. He should be too classy for his rivals on Saturday.
Best Bet
Race 1 – 
#1 Ankle Rolex (6)
3yo Gelding | T: Patrick Johnson | J: Adam Nicholls (59kg)
Bet with Boombet
Next Best at Darwin – Change Is Coming
Change Is Coming has been nominated for the Palmerston Sprint, but with a rating of 61 the three-year-old gelding has to win on Saturday to get a start in the NT’s biggest race for the speedsters. Victory seals a start in the Palmerston and if the former NSW galloper’s last start is any guide he is every chance in the six-horse field. The son of Capitalist had seven starts for Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker for a win in an 1100m Bathurst maiden before a third over 1000m (Class 1) at Orange. His last start for Baker was over 1200m (Class 1) at Goulburn in January. Change Is Coming caught the eye when he won a 900m trial at Fannie Bay by 6.2 lengths on June 13 before destroying his rivals by 10.5 lengths in his first NT start over 1000m (0-58) when clocking 56.17 to fall 0.1 of a second short of the track record.
Next Best
Race 3 – 
#6 Change Is Coming (3)
3yo Gelding | T: Gary CLarke | J: Jarrod Todd (54kg)
Bet with Neds
Best Value at Darwin – Scout’s Honour
The son of Moshe was a mile back in fifth place behind the eventual winner Nokondi over 1300m (0-62) on July 19, but was winding up in the home straight before being blocked for a run along the rails at a crucial stage. That ended his hopes with the eight-year-old gelding easing up on the line to finish 4.1 lengths adrift in seventh place – a case of what could have been. A winner of just four races from 72 starts, it was the first time the SA galloper had not finished in the top four since arriving in the NT. Scout’s Honour had four starts in Alice Springs in April for a third over 1200m (0-58), a second over 1400m (0-58) and two fourths over 1600m (0-58 and 0-62). Wasn’t all that far away in his Top End debut three weeks ago when finishing 1.2 lengths behind Tyquendo in fourth spot over 1300m (0-58).
Next Best
Race 2 – 
#10 Scout’s Honour (5)
8yo Gelding | T: Kym Healy | J: Stan Tsaikos (55kg)
Bet with PlayUp
Saturday quaddie tips for Darwin
Darwin quadrella selections
Saturday, July 29, 2023
- 6-8-12
- 4-6
- 2-3-4-5
- 3-4-11
Investment: $72 for 100%
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