After coming so close in five previous starts since arriving in the NT, former Victorian galloper Ironedge finally got the cash at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
The son of Shamus Award proved too good for his rivals by taking out the feature race on the program at Darwin – a $22,500 Benchmark 76 Handicap over 1300m.
There were only six starters in the race, but with a view towards the Darwin Cup (2050m), Palmerston Sprint (1200m) and countless 1600m features during the forthcoming Darwin Cup Carnival starting on July 8 the field was certainly above average.
Ella Clarke’s Ironedge ($4.60), Neil Dyer’s Kaonic ($17) and Nicole Irwin’s Ornamental Lady ($3.90) were the first three across the line and did little wrong, which would have pleased the respective stables immensely.
Phil Cole’s Smuggling (Emma Lines), a 10-year-old gelding these days, finished fourth without seriously troubling the first three, while Kerry Petrick’s fifth-placed Boom Boom Sweet (Paul Denton) and Angela Forster’s sixth-placed Spielberg (Sonja Wiseman) have had better days.
It would be wise to treat Smuggling ($4.20), Boom Boom Sweet ($3,60 fav) and the tiring Spielberg ($7) with respect in coming weeks during the Darwin Cup Carnival as they boast unquestionable ability.
Camped between the leader Spielberg on the fence with Ornamental Lady (Dakota-Lee Gillett) on its outside, Ironedge (Alice Lindsay) was sitting third before the trio battled for ascendancy at the 700m once exiting the back straight.
Down the side it was Spielberg, who burned plenty of petrol from the outside gate in quest of the early lead, and Ironedge, while Ornamental Lady (Dakota-Lee Gillett), first up in the NT after arriving from Victoria, started to lose touch as sixth-placed Kaonic (59kg) left the fence in search of clear air.
Ironedge (55kg) kicked clear rounding the final bend and was in no danger of defeat at the 200m with Kaonic (Aaron Sweeney) stretching out nicely for second in his Darwin return, while Ornamental Lady – carrying 53kg – found its second wind in the home straight to finish an eye-catching third.
For Kaonic, fourth in the Darwin Cup in 2021 before coming second last year, it was a tremendous hit out after finishing fifth in his first start back in the NT three weeks ago behind the in-form Supreme Attraction over 1400m (BM76) in Alice Springs.
After three wins from 19 starts for the Cranbourne stable of Mick Price-Michael Kent Jnr and Mornington stable of Clayton Douglas in Victoria, Ironedge arrived at the stable of Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea at Morphettville and didn’t race at all in South Australia before heading to the NT.
The five-year-old gelding debuted during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival on April 8 under the guidance of champion Darwin trainer Gary Clarke where he finished a close second behind Eureka’s Victory over 1400m (0-70).
Another second at Pioneer Park behind Magnolia Rose over 1600m (0-66) two weeks later was followed by a third by 1.3 lengths behind the impressive Eureka’s Victory over 2000m (BM76) on Alice Springs Cup Day on April 30.
Arriving in the Top End, Ironedge was transferred to the stable of Clarke’s daughter Ella and once again had to play second fiddle to Magnolia Rose over 1600m (0-70) on May 20.
Next up was a second behind Siakam, who saluted in the St Patrick’s Day Cup (1600m) in March, in the $30,000 Adelaide River Cup (1600m) at Fannie Bay, so he was certainly in the mix on Saturday.
For the ever-improving Ella Clarke it was her seventh win of the season, while for Alice Lindsay it was her third win since returning from South Australia in May for her second stint in the NT.
