Despite jumping from the outside gate, the Peter Robl-trained Hadouken from the Gold Coast secured an outstanding win in the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) at Fannie Bay on Monday.
With leading Sydney jockey Tyler Schiller aboard, the six-year-old gelding was forced wide leaving the home straight and was at times three or four deep for the first 1400m before sharing lead with the Gary Clarke-trained Wolfburn (Jarrod Todd) exiting the back straight.
Hadouken ($3.40) sat outside Wolfburn ($3.40) and with 600m to go they skipped clear.
They held a two-length advantage over Neil Dyer’s $2.30 favourite Bear Story (Noel Callow), who jumped from the inside gate in the 12-horse field and had settled in fourth place passing the 1500m.
Bear Story (61kg), who broke the 1600m track record with victory in the weight-for-age Chief Minister’s Cup on July 13, couldn’t bridge the gap as Hadouken (54kg) and Wolfburn (56.5kg) – third in last year’s Cup – slogged it out in the home straight.
Hadouken edged clear with 100m to go before overcoming a gallant Wolfburn, the leader passing the winning post the first time, by 0.4 lengths with Bear Story, who was labouring at the 400m, a further 2.3 lengths adrift in third place.
2024 Darwin Cup Replay – Hadouken
Hadouken, the son of Japanese sire Real Impact, won first up in the Top End over 1600m (BM66) on July 6 before qualifying for the Cup with success in the Buntine Handicap (2050m) on July 20.
Robl, who missed a start in the 2021 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) when All Cylinders went amiss after two thirds at Fannie Bay, only decided to take Hadouken to Darwin due to persistent wet tracks in south-east Queensland and north-eastern NSW.
More than competitive on firm surfaces, the gelding battles on soft and heavy tracks.
Robl, a former jockey, was understandably over the moon following the win.
“I’m a little bit lost for words, going out of the straight and down the back side there I thought it’s not looking pretty,” he said.
“I thought that him doing that amount of work, he’s not going to have the ability to beat Bear Story.
“I think it’s testament to the horse how well he’s adapted to the dirt here, how well he’s acclimatised to Darwin and thanks to Tyler for coming and riding him.
“Thanks to the owners for entrusting me when I mentioned bringing the horse to Darwin.
“It’s not cheap or an easy exercise coming from the Gold Coast, but look, all’s well that ends well and what can you say, it’s outstanding.
“It’s just a marvellous, he’s a tough horse.
“I think when he won the Buntine, even though people said it was an inferior field he ran a good time and probably buttoned off at the furlong.
“Today, he had to be tough in order to be there and the fact that he keeps putting his head out wanting to win is testament to the horse and how brave he is.
“He probably lacks little a bit ability wise, but he has that mental toughness.
“It’s an amazing result.”
For Clarke, the Top End’s leading trainer for the past 12 years, he had to once again settle for second prize after Lumber Punk finished behind Early Crow in the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint on Saturday.
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