For Raymond Vigar, it was two rides for two wins at Darwin on Saturday.
Hitting the front early, Vigar celebrated on Tayarn Halter’s Forms Of Fear, who started at $3.30 with online bookmakers, over 1200m in Class 2 and Phil Cole’s $18 outsider Exceedingly Magic over 1100m against BM54 opposition.
It was the 29-year-old’s first Fannie Bay double since 2020 Darwin Cup Day.
The former Darwin and Alice Springs Cup winning jockey returned to racing after 47 months in November on Melbourne Cup Day.
Forms Of Fear was an unlucky second over 1100m three weeks ago after burning petrol from a wide gate in quest of the lead before succumbing to Jason Manning’s fast-finishing Brazen Bon.
Lumping 61kg in his first trip over 1200m, Forms Of Fear settled in front from gate two before kicking away in the home straight to overcome $1.80 favourite Brazen Bon and Cole’s Bryce by 3.5 lengths.
Exceedingly Magic, winless since last July, was returning after three months and after travelling four deep when vying for the early lead settled in front at the 700m exiting the back straight.
The mare went on to seal victory by 1.3 lengths from Tom Logan’s Miss Black Diamond, returning from a spell, and Gary Clarke’s NT debutante He’s Essential.
Clarke’s $3.20 chance Doc O’Connor, ridden by Jarrod Todd, also led throughout before toppling stablemate Patriotic King and Paul Shiers’ new arrival Crazy Brave from Queensland over 1100m at BM76 level.
Although winning by half a length, Doc O’Connor never looked like losing to make it eight wins from 16 Top End starts.
Cole ended 2024 with a winning double last Saturday and started 2025 with two wins when Soul Spirit, with Wayne Davis aboard, saluted for the first time since last May after securing an exciting 0-64 over 1200m with 1.1 lengths separating the first four.
Impressing three weeks ago after four months in the paddock, Soul Spirit trailed the leaders before swooping late to nail Logan’s Astern Magic, who travelled three wide the whole trip, and Clarke’s Devils Delight.
After winning Fannie Bay’s final race for 2024, Sonja Logan won the first race in 2025 when Queen In The North, starting at $3.60 and trained by husband Tom, finished strongly to get the cash over 1300m in 0-58 class.
Starting well from a wide gate before settling fourth, Queen In The North, a last start winner on December 14, got off the fence in the home straight before downing Chris Pollard’s Brimarvi Rooboy and Ella Clarke’s Hotim English by 2.5 lengths.
Horse racing news
