Since 2010, seven classy horses have won the Chief Minister’s Cup at Fannie Bay before claiming the Darwin Cup.
That list includes Shout Out Loud (2010), Hawks Bay (2012), Lightinthenite (2015), Royal Request (2017), Zahspeed (2018), Highly Decorated (2021) and Playoffs (2022).
You might want to consider the Neil Dyer-trained Bear Story come the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) on August 5, after the six-year-old gelding smashed the track record en route to victory in the $60,000 Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) on Saturday.
In what will surely see the son of Kodiac start a warm favourite with Neds in the NT’s biggest race, the former Irish galloper saluted by 4.2 lengths on debut in the Top End.
Sprinting clear in the home straight, Bear Story clocked 1.33.95 to eclipse the previous mark set by Chris Nash’s Dominus (1.34.22) in June 2022.
Dominus lumped 61kg that day against 0-70 opposition, while Bear Storey – with Gold Coast-based jockey Noel Callow aboard – carried 59kg.
Fourth in a 900m Fannie Bay trial on July 2, Bear Storey arrived in the Dyer yard from Clinton McDonald’s Cranbourne stable with a rating of 92.
A last start fourth over 1800m (BM100) at Sandown Hillside in late May, he was arguably the class horse in the CM Cup (WFA).
However, in-form pair Wolfburn, from the Gary Clarke stable, and Son Of Bielski, from the Nash yard, as well as Jason Manning’s Noir De Rue – last year’s CM Cup winner, and Chloe Baxter’s He’s The Ultimate, the Metric Mile (1600m) winner during the 2023 Carnival, had home ground advantage.
Jumping well from gate five in the 12-horse field, Bear Story ($6) settled sixth on the fence, but once passing the 1100m along the back he was fifth as Wolfburn and Andrew Perdon’s Starspangled Baby shared a comfortable lead.
Dan Morgan’s Castlereagh Kid and He’s The Ultimate, trailing the leading pair, as well as Bear Storey, made ground at the 800m before negotiating the top corner, but passing the 600m the Irish horse was third.
Bear Story had left the fence by the 500m in pursuit of the leaders and approaching the home turn he was sitting three deep outside Wolfburn and Starspangled Baby.
Turning for home and with 350m to go, it was going to be either Bear Storey or Wolfburn’s race, but at the 200m it was clear Callow was going to finally seal his first win on his third Darwin visit.
Wolfburn (Jarrod Todd), a $4.60 online bookmaker hope, aiming for his fourth straight win, was second, with stablemate and $61 outsider Tanaawool (Stan Tsaikos), who travelled deep throughout, producing an outstanding effort to finish a head away in third place.
Fourth-placed Noir De Rue ($2.60 fav) and Carrol Hunter’s fifth-placed Desert Lass ($31) finished with purpose, but they too could find it difficult to thwart Bear Story in the Darwin Cup.
For Dyer, a regular feature during Carnival since 2008, it might be a fourth Darwin Cup following Hawks Bay (2011 and 2012) and Royal Request (2017).
During his Irish career, Bear Story had 18 starts from 1408-2551m for three wins and nine minor placings.
His last start performance in Victoria was his best result in eight starts for McDonald.
Apart from Bear Story, Dyer also hopes to start Hettinger and The Claimant in the Darwin Cup.
There will be no Triple Crown winner in 2024 as Kerry Petrick’s Venting, who won the Alice Springs Cup (2000m) in April, was ninth in the CM Cup.
NT Racing offers a $100,000 bonus for connections should their horse win the Alice Springs Cup, CM Cup and Darwin Cup in the same year.
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