He wasn’t at his best in the Palmerston Sprint (1200m) last year, but it could be redemption for Phil Cole’s Star Magnum this weekend.
The six-year-old gelding made it back to back wins on Saturday with another impressive win in open company over 1100m at Fannie Bay.
It was the final hit out for the speedsters before the $135,000 Palmerston with Star Magnum, who had star apprentice Emma Lines for company, once again showing his rivals a clean pair of heels.
The son of Magnus, ninth in the NT’s biggest race for the flyers in 2023, pinged out of a wide gate and found the fence easily before having Expert Witness and Flying Annie for company.
From the 800m to the 400m, Expert Witness ($17) sat outside Star Magnum ($7) before Cole’s horse edged clear turning for home.
By the 200m, Star Magnum was two lengths clear before getting home by just under a length from Kym Healy’s fast-finishing Pompeii Empire ($7) and Chris Pollard’s Kerioth – the $2.45 favourite with online bookmakers.
Kerioth, a last-start winner over 1200m (0-76) a fortnight ago, had a dirty day after playing up in the gates and losing it’s spot at the 600m, so to finish third was encouraging looking ahead to the Palmerston.
Cole, who won the 2021 and 2022 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) in Alice Springs with Smuggling, has every right to have confidence in Star Magnum, who has had 15 Darwin starts for five wins and nine minor placings.
After missing the Darwin Guineas (1600m) recently with a leg injury, the Kevin Lamprecht-trained Beyond Ready ($3.80) from Alice Springs returned to overcome fellow three-year-olds in a $40,000 event over 1200m.
The son of More Than Ready, who had one win from five starts in Victoria, faced fellow three-year-olds in his first two Pioneer Park starts for a win (1200m) and a third (1400m) before coming second in the $50,000 NT Guineas (1600m) behind Better Not Fuss in late March.
Beyond Ready won another race against his own age group by 6.3 lengths over 1200m on Alice Springs Cup Day (April 7) before finishing second behind Starton in his Darwin debut (1200m) in June.
With the leaders setting a solid pace out in front on Saturday, Beyond Ready’s rider, Mark Pegus, was happy to settle in fourth place on the fence before winding up approaching the home turn.
Getting off the fence, Better Ready rounded the leaders before finally shaking off Cole’s hope, Miami Vice ($8.50), who shared the early lead with Wild Beau ($2.25 fav) and Augusta Moon ($21).
Better Ready hit the front at the 100m to overcome Miami Vice by half a length, with Kerry Petrick’s Starton ($10), who looked shot at the 400m, before rallying in the home straight to finish third.
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