Early Crow defended his Palmerston Sprint (1200m) title at Fannie Bay on Saturday with a barnstorming victory in the $135,000 feature on Day 7 of the Darwin Cup Carnival.
The six-year-old gelding repeated the efforts of the Gary Clarke-trained Captain Punch (2018 & 2019) and Nev Connor’s Jade City (2007 & 2008) as runners who have gone back to back in the premier NT race for the sprinters.
With former trainer Dick Leech currently serving a suspension, the son of Kuroshio had one start for Clarke in the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) in Alice Springs in April, where he finished 10th before ending up with Top End trainer Chris Pollard.
Leech’s entire team was transferred to Pollard, who celebrated his biggest win as a trainer when Early Crow made it 11 wins from 28 starts.
After a first-up fifth behind Star Magnum in open company over 1100m at Fannie Bay, the gelding bounced back to form when he surged home to win the 1200m weight-for-age on July 20.
Early Crow was clearly back to his best, and despite starting at $9 with online bookmakers, he was definitely in the mix in one of the more open Palmerstons in recent years.
With Sonja Logan on board, the former Queensland galloper jumped well from gate five before settling fourth on the fence as Ideas Man ($13), Star Magnum ($8) and Zourata ($18) set the early pace.
Early Crow, who had Seguso ($12) for company, was easily three lengths adrift of the leading trio at the 600m before picking up speed, and by the home turn Pollard’s horse was posing a serious threat.
Once circling the leaders, Early Crow’s only concern was Chris Nash’s Ideas Man, who finished second in last year’s Palmerston, had slipped to a narrow lead entering the home straight.
At the 200m, Early Crow had the race sewn up before getting home by 2.3 lengths from Lumber Punk, previously trained by Leon and Troy Corstens at Flemington, with Ideas Man grabbing third place ahead of Star Magnum.
For Logan, who was recovering from a broken nose and missing teeth this time last year following an assault outside her home, it was her second Carnival triumph after saluting aboard Kym Healy’s He’s Maverick in the Darwin Guineas (1600m).
In a dramatic prelude to the Palmerston, Terry Gillett’s outstanding mare Dakota Lee from Alice Springs was scratched on Friday after failing a veterinary test.
2024 Palmerston Sprint Replay – Early Crow
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