Darwin jockey Aaron Sweeney finally tasted success this season in the Top End and Country premiership with a winning treble at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
Sweeney showed exceptional skill as all three mounts drew wide gates.
The Gary Clarke-trained Doc O’Connor – $5.50 with horse racing bookmakers – was forced four deep early over 1100m (BM77) before sitting outside Chris Nash’s Mr Have A Chat in second place.
Doc O’Connor, boasting a win and two thirds from his past five starts, edged clear at the 200m to seal victory from Mr Have A Chat ($5) with Phil Cole’s Tubthumper ($9.50) third.
Ella Clarke’s Hotim English ($2.25 fav) was camped three deep out in front in the 1100m maiden, but showed remarkable endurance in the home straight to seal victory by 8.4 lengths.
Hotim English and Sweeney had plenty of competition at the 300m before decimating Cole’s stablemates Aussie Jawsie ($15) and Dancer For Money ($2.30), whose hopes ended after butchering the start.
Tom Logan’s Heroic Spirit ($41) started well from gate nine over 1300m (BM54) and was sitting three deep as he shared the early lead – he then eased off and settled third.
Heroic Spirit took Sweeney to the outside portion of the track when turning for home, but that didn’t prevent him from overcoming Neil Dyer’s Collison ($4.60) and Cole’s Tricky Mikki ($3.60) by two lengths.
Logan claimed a winning double when wife Sonja piloted Astern Magic ($4.80) to a narrow win over Chris Pollard’s Call It A Loan ($8) and Dyer’s Ariarne ($3 fav) over 1200m (0-58).
Astern Magic, returning from a two-month layoff, was camped five deep early before easing off the speed and although forced four deep in the home straight he still managed to nail Call It A Loan right on the line.
Pharoah Magic ($3.40) made it three wins from six starts for Gary Clarke when he led throughout to topple Lisa Whittle’s Canton Kid ($6.50) and Dyer’s in-form Yaki Ishi ($2.70 fav) over 1300m.
It was an impressive performance by Pharoah Magic as winning jockey Adam Nicholls found the fence after 200m from the outside gate (10) before prevailing by 1.5 lengths.
Angela Forster’s Kessler ($15) tasted Top End success at the seventh attempt when Vanessa Arnott got him home from Gary Clarke’s Extreme Emotion ($2.40 fav) and Chris Pollard’s Brimarvi Rooboy ($11) over 1300m (BM54) with 0.07 lengths separating the trio.
Kessler never saw the fence after drawing gate eight, and for Forster, it was her first win since January.
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