Sidelined for four months during the year with injury, Darwin jockey Adam Nicholls ended 2024 on a good note with a winning double at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
Nicholls cashed-in aboard Chris Nash’s Seven Secrets – starting at $5 with horse racing bookmakers – over 1600m at 0-70 level and Peter Stennett’s $26 outsider Ribtickler in the 1200m maiden.
During the St Patrick’s Cup Day meeting in March, Nicholls was dislodged from his mount Tough Critic when it reared after backing out of the gates.
After suffering a distal radius fracture to his right wrist, Nicholls didn’t return until the Darwin Cup Carnival started in July.
Sitting outside Phil Cole’s Awesome Lad in second place on Saturday, Seven Secrets pounced at the 400m to overcome Gary Clarke’s pair Nassau County and Prince Ruban by four lengths.
It was the five-year-old gelding’s first trip over 1600m with the former SA galloper posting a win over 1300m and two seconds over 1000m and 1200m in four Darwin appearances.
Ribtickler, winless in NSW and Victoria before finishing unplaced in three Fannie Bay starts, was labouring in fifth place passing the 400m before powering home to edge out Tayarn Halter’s Cherry Stem and Neil Dyer’s $1.55 favourite Miss Moov in a blanket finish.
Cole also farewelled the year with a winning double when $2.10 favourite with Neds, Dancer For Money, led throughout in a special conditions race over 1100m before Lord Fenrir, a $7.50 hope, saluted over 1000m in the 0-58 ranks.
For Wayne Davis, who returned to riding late last month after suffering a back injury when dislodged during trackwork in May, it was his first win since March after partnering Dancer For Money.
Cole landed the quinella in the race won by Lord Fenrir, ridden by Sonja Logan, and managed to pip stablemate Miami Vice, last season’s Three-Year-Old of the Year in the Top End, by a short half head.
Having won Darwin features with horses acquired from Ciaron Maher, the Clarke yard enjoyed further success with yet another arrival from the premier Victorian trainer’s stable after Field Of Flutes claimed the 1100m open handicap.
With Jarrod Todd having the $2.05 favourite with BlondeBet camped in fourth place on the fence, Field Of Flutes found clear space at the 200m to seal victory by three quarters of a length from Chole Baxter’s fast-finishing backmarker He’s The Ultimate.
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