Darwin trainer Phil Cole has had his fair share of success on Katherine Cup Day over the years and on Saturday he landed a winning treble.
Cole, once again the runner-up in the Top End and Country trainers’ premiership behind Gary Clarke, celebrated wins by Storm The Fortress ($5.50), Moorestown ($3.60) and Awen ($16).
Alice Springs apprentice Dakota Gillett partnered Moorestown and Awen, while leading Darwin jockey Sonja Logan was aboard Storm The Fortress.
It was a shot in the arm for Cole, who won’t be spotted in the Top End for a few weeks as he embarks on yet another Birdsville Cup campaign in outback Queensland (September 6-7).
Storm The Fortress, a five-year-old gelding by Invader, shared the early lead over 1100m (0-70) before hanging on in the home straight to overcome Mr Have A Chat ($2.45 fav) and El Magnificence ($16) by half a length.
Cole’s Preconi ($8.50) had a big lead over 1300m (BM54) before Moorestown, a five-year-old gelding by Shalaa, swooped at the 200m to seal victory by three lengths from its stablemate, with Ankle Rolex ($4.20) not far away in third place.
Awen, a six-year-old mare by Kodiac, the meat in the sandwich when sharing the early lead with Ariarne ($2.90 fav) and Soul Spirit ($5.50) over 1300m (BM54), went on to topple Ariarne, who never left the fence, by 1.7 lengths, with The Stifmeister ($3.80) working home nicely for third.
Neil Dyer’s six-year-old gelding Collison produced the most eye-catching victory of the day when he was at one stage seven lengths behind the leader in seventh place, passing the 600m before storming home to roll To The Point ($3.60) and Lamoree ($11) by 1.7 lengths over 1100m (0-58).
Collison, starting at $2.90 with online bookmakers, was the only favourite to win on the eight-event program – not one favourite saluted in seven races on Cup Day last year on Katherine’s sandy surface.
Dyer, who won the 2023 Katherine Cup (1700m) with Hettinger, farewelled the NT before heading home to Kyneton with a winning double when Fierce Legend ($7.50), ridden by Stan Tsaikos, led all the way over 1700m (0-64).
The five-year-old gelding by Deep Field finally prevailed after 10 Darwin starts and two Katherine starts when he eclipsed fast-finishing pair Dartboard ($5) and A Big Chance ($4.80) by 2.3 lengths.
Tsaikos ended the day with a winning double when Full Damage ($4.40), a five-year-old gelding by Lord Of The Sky, who also competed for the early lead, saluted for in-form trainer Chris Pollard in a 1000m maiden by 2.4 lengths after kicking clear half way down the home straight to edge out Desert Safari ($17) and Tortellini ($31).
Paul Denton, who won the $30,000 Katherine Cup aboard Kerry Petrick’s Venting, bookended the program when he pinched a winning break at the 500m on Lisa Whittle’s Incivility ($9.50) in the opening race over 1100m (0-58) before triumphing by 5.3 lengths from Daunting Decision ($8) and Get Out Mick ($10).
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