NT trainer Kerry Petrick enjoyed the ideal lead-in to the 2023 Darwin Cup Carnival when Magnolia Rose and Throw At Da Stumps won the first two races at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
Veteran NT jockey Paul Denton, who has combined with Petrick to win over 100 races over the years, was in the saddle for both victories.
Magnolia Rose has impressed since arriving from Dane Smith’s Stawell stable, and after a win from three Alice Springs starts in April she has now won twice in three Darwin starts.
The five-year-old mare won first-up at Fannie Bay in May over 1600m (0-70) before finishing fifth in the Adelaide River Cup (1600m) on June 3, and on Saturday over 1600m (0-70) she had to dig deep.
Jumping from gate one, Magnolia Rose challenged Gary Clarke’s Loveplanet (Jarrod Todd) and Nicole Irwin’s Eureka’s Victory (Adam Nicholls) for the lead before hitting the front in the back straight.
Eureka’s Victory then eased off as Petrick’s Boom Boom Sweet (Casey Hunter), three wide, and Paul Gardner’s Glacier Grey (Jade Hampson), four wide, issued a challenge.
Magnolia Rose and Glacier Grey then controlled matters, but Loveplanet and Boom Boom Sweet were travelling comfortably leaving the back straight.
There was drama at the 650m when Glacier Grey broke down and dislodged Hampson with Loveplanet and Boom Boom Sweet looming up on the leader, while Eureka’s Victory – impeded by the mishap – fell back and had tailenders Paulo Pace and Floreat Pica for company.
At the last corner, Loveplanet and Boom Boom Sweet set off after Kermadec’s daughter, and with 300m to go a big finish was apparent with Eureka’s Victory also winding up along the rails.
Magnolia Rose was gone at the 100m but recovered to edge out Boom Boom Sweet ($5.50) by 0.18 lengths, with Loveplanet ($3.60 fav) half a length away in third place from Eureka’s Victory, who was also checked at the 1400m.
Darwin R1 replay – 0-70 Handicap (1600m)
Winner: Magnolia Rose
Throw At Da Stumps, a four-year-old gelding, trounced his rivals two weeks ago over 1100m (0-64) in his Darwin debut after leaving Ken and Kasey Keys’ Cranbourne stable in early April.
Purchased at the Alice Springs Tried Horse Sale in late April, the son of Rich Enuff lined up over 1200m (0-66) on Saturday and was sitting three wide along with fellow leaders Blueberry Boy and Meadows Young Buck for the first 500m before it got interesting.
As Meadows Young Buck tired approaching the home turn, Throw At Da Stumps put paid to Blueberry Boy before kicking clear to salute by 1.43 lengths from hard-running backmarkers Star Of Monsoon (Nicholls) and To The Point (Paul Shiers).
Dick Leech’s Envenomate, making his Top End debut after two wins from five Alice Springs starts, made up plenty of ground for an eye-catching fourth.
Darwin R2 replay – 0-66 Handicap (1200m)
Winner: Throw At Da Stumps
In the first of two 1300m maidens, it was New York Spirit, Flash Fiorente, Exgames and Go Barney Go – sitting four wide – out in front and they maintained the rage passing the 500m.
Turning for home, Go Barney Go (Nicholls) skipped away, but Petrick’s Flash Fiorente (Denton) wasn’t going away as another runner – not Heather Lehmann’s $1.70 favourite, Quick Return – started making ground from the rear.
South Australian visitor Come Again (Emma Lines) made a slow start and was at one stage eighth, but the four-year-old mare started rounding the field at the 500m before unleashing in the home straight.
Go Barney Go looked like hanging on as a $61 pop, but Kym Healy’s Come Again swooped with the daughter of Zoustar getting up by 0.4 lengths, while Flash Fiorente ($13) fought on gamely for third.
Darwin R6 replay – Maiden Plate (1300m)
Winner: Come Again
In the other maiden, Ruby Ruby Ruby (Alice Lindsay) started well for Pollard before stablemate Hello Hollywood (Hunter) pounced along the rails to lead, but once exiting the back straight the two top picks, American Jazz ($2.15 fav) and King’s Star ($4), got a wriggle on.
Pollard’s duo held firm before Ruby Ruby Ruby ($8) hit the front at the 200m to win by 2.29 lengths with Hello Hollywood settling for a narrow fourth when Phil Cole’s $16 Top End debutant Fille Cheesesteak (Lines) and Nicole Irwin’s $8 pick Ultron (Nicholls) came from the clouds to fill the minor placings.
Ruby Ruby Ruby, a four-year-old mare, disappointed in seven Darwin starts last year, but the daughter of Kuroshio wasn’t far away in her five starts this year prior to Saturday’s win.
Darwin R6 replay – Maiden Plate (1300m)
Winner: Ruby Ruby Ruby
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