Darwin-based trainer Mark Nyhan had every reason to feel chuffed at the Katherine Cup meeting on Saturday.
The win by the ever-consistent seven-year-old gelding Jet Jackson in the $18,500 Aus Projects NT/Hankel Moffatt Memorial 0-64 Handicap (1700m) helped him forget what proved to be a traumatic ending to the Darwin Cup Carnival.
On the final Saturday in July, which was Palmerston Sprint Day, Nyhan collapsed in the tie-ups area at Fannie Bay and was transported by ambulance to Royal Darwin Hospital.
Following observation, treatment and the necessary tests, he was discharged later that night.
Nyhan returned to Fannie Bay on the first Monday in August for Darwin Cup Day and kept clear of the big crowd by watching the races from the back straight.
The biggest day in Northern Territory racing could not have started any better for the former Alice Springs trainer when six-year-old gelding Mister Monaro, with Tasmanian jockey Anthony Darmanin on board, won the opening race.
Mister Monaro, formerly from Victoria, won the $30,000 race at 0-70 level over 1200m by three and a half lengths and Nyhan had every right to feel buoyant.
It was a fantastic result and the excitement only escalated for Nyhan as five-year-old gelding Trident was lining up in the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) at the end of the day.
Like Nyhan, Trident hailed from New Zealand, and according to the longtime trainer, he had never been associated with a better horse.
Trident’s career started in New Zealand as a two-year-old when he won on debut at Ellerslie in Auckland over 880m in October 2019.
He raced a further four times in New Zealand before ending up at the stable of South Australian trainer Michael Hickmott in Murray Bridge.
From August-October in 2020, Trident had three runs in Adelaide before he wound up in Alice Springs the following year.
Racing against fellow three-year-olds, Trident finished second over 1100m in his first start in the Red Centre on Anzac Day before winning over 1200m on the first Sunday in May – Alice Springs Cup Day.
According to Nyhan, it was abundantly clear the horse had ability following his first NT win.
It was then off to the Top End when Nyhan relocated to Darwin, where Trident had nine starts for four wins.
That included victory in the Darwin Guineas (1600m) before finishing third behind Sanblas in the NT Derby (2050m) last July during the Darwin Cup Carnival.
Trident then finished ninth behind Highly Decorated in the Darwin Cup (2050m) last August, but returned to Fannie Bay on New Year’s Day and finished third over 1100m before posting two wins over 1300m on January 26 and March 4.
They proved too quick for him over 1000m in open class upon his return to Alice Springs on March 26, but on April 2 he struck back in style with victory over 1600m against open company.
He won the Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) at weight-for-age level on April 23 before finishing fourth behind Count Of Essex in the Alice Springs Cup (2000m) on May 1.
Arriving back in Darwin, the son of Smart Missile once again displayed his versatility with a third behind Niewand and 2022 Palmerston Sprint winner Syncline in open company over 1000m on June 18.
In his final tune-up before the Darwin Cup, Trident finished fourth behind 2022 Darwin Cup winner Playoffs in the Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) at weight-for-age level on July 9.
Despite having no success beyond 1600m, Trident was primed for the Darwin Cup and was capable of making an impression despite starting as a $21 chance with online bookmakers.
Passing the 800m and camped midfield on the fence, Trident mis-strode with jockey Sonja Wiseman immediately pulling him up because it was clear he had sustained a significant injury.
It was confirmed that he had severely damaged the near fore in his 26th career start and he was subsequently euthanised.
“That day ended badly, especially when I was there to see it all,” a despondent Nyhan, 57, said.
“What can you do?
“It was gut-wrenching – it was a sad loss, he was a machine.
“You’ll never be able to replace a horse like that, unfortunately.
“I won’t get another one like that, not someone like me anyway.
“There’s no point lying down like a mongrel dog is there, you’ve got to carry on.”
More importantly, Nyhan is back on his feet.
The ordeal on Palmerston Sprint Day was not the first time he had suffered a health scare at the races.
“Nothing that I haven’t had before – just a bit of a heart problem,” he said.
“I had a stent put in a couple of years ago.
“I’ve had a few tests and that since my last incident – I’m just waiting to hear back about it to see how I’m going.
“I collapsed three times at the Alice Springs races.
“It’s just one of those things.”
Regardless, Nyhan remains philosophical and seemingly takes it all in his stride with an element of positivity and humour.
“I’ve been taken away from the races in an ambulance four times for the wrong reasons,” he laughed.
“I think with me collapsing at Alice Springs and taking me away it could be some kind of record there.
“It was getting dark one day there – they had to put the races back until the ambulance returned.
“They were lucky to run.
“You’ve got to laugh about it, anyway.
“There’s no use sitting here and worrying too much is there.”
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Nyhan made the 317km trip to Katherine on the weekend and the win by Jet Jackson certainly cheered him up.
“He’s been good – he’s been pretty consistent and pretty durable,” Nyhan said.
“He’s had a fair few starts and he’s a good old handy horse.
“He’s one of those ones that you’d like to have a few of them, you know.
“He’s not a world beater, but he’s far from an egg beater anyway.
“Have a look at his record since he’s been here, it’s a pretty good record.”
Jet Jackson had 28 starts in Victoria before debuting for Nyhan in Alice Springs in December 2021.
In 15 starts in the NT from 1000-2050m, Jet Jackson – yet another son by Smart Missile – had two wins and two seconds at Pioneer Park in the Red Centre and a win, four seconds, a third and a fourth at Fannie Bay in the Top End before his victory at Katherine’s Jim Jackson Racecourse.
Looking to the future, Nyhan has high hopes for six-year-old gelding Mister Monaro, who has returned to the NT from Victoria after a stint in the Top End last year.
The sprinter had two wins and three seconds from five starts from July-September at Fannie Bay, but in four starts during this year’s Darwin Cup Carnival (July 2-August 1) he had two wins and finished unplaced on the two other occasions.
“I’ve got Mister Monaro, he’s a very fast horse,” Nyhan said.
“I honestly do think that next year he could be a big chance in something like the Pioneer Sprint (in Alice Springs) or the Palmerston Sprint.”
Nyhan trained in the Red Centre for years before packing up and heading to Darwin after last year’s Alice Springs Cup Carnival and doesn’t regret making the move north.
“Everything has been going pretty good – you have your ups and downs,” he said.
“I’ve had a bit of a downer recently, but that’s the way it goes.
“You’ve just got to keep whacking away, don’t you.
“There is always probably someone worse off than myself.
“I’ve got some new runners here – we’ll see how they go Saturday week here in Darwin.”
Nyhan could not praise highly enough the efforts and support of Stephanie Wright and Sonja Wiseman – especially during his recent illness.
“Stephanie works for me and Sonja rides for me, and they’ve both been a pretty big help,” he said.
“I can’t thank them enough.”
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