Chloe Baxter continued her dream start to the 2025 Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival when Hell Fire Miss, in the very last stride, got up to down Juice Box in a thrilling finish to the Fusion Exhibitions Rosebowl at Fannie Bay on Wednesday.
Baxter, of course, saddled up Vanguard Legend to score in the Day 1 feature, the DCOH Darwin Guineas, and also won with fellow 3yo Capitol Hill, before sending out Miami Baby for a last-to-first victory on Day 2.
Her four wins to date has her trailing only perennial Carnival champion Gary Clarke, who with a double on Wednesday, has five wins over the first three days of the Carnival.
Hell Fire Miss, ridden by Jason Lyon, who is enjoying his Top End sojourn out of the southern cold, begun only fairly from the inside gate. However, Lyon was able to punch up along the inner and by the time the field, led by Juice Box, turned off the back, Hell Fire Miss was up to second and in a challenging position.
Juice Box still looked to be going well turning in, but Lyon kept urging his mount along and in a desperate late lunge, collared Juice Box right on the line to win by a nose. Rossanado, who did not get all favours in the run, was a brave third a length back, the 3yo filly losing no admirers whatsoever.
As well as the $24,455 first prize, Hell Fire Miss won for her connections a further $3,000 as the first NT-trained horse to finish with 50%+ female ownership in the Women in Thoroughbred Racing NT promotion.
A 4yo bay by Hellbent, whose stock have been in fine form in Darwin this season, Hell Fire Miss has now won three of her 14 starts, and with a second and six third placings as well, has stakes now of just over $73,000. She is raced by Rochelle Adams and Trent Kelly from Victoria, along with Mad Punters Bar and Baxter.
Zourata, given a well-judged ride by Dakota Gillett, was too speedy for his six rivals in the BetR Sprint (1100m).
Trained at the Gold Coast by Peter Robl, who was on-course for the win, Zourata began well, took the lead from Forms Of Fear after 150m and was never headed or in danger of defeat thereafter.
The 5yo son of Zoustar reached the line just under four lengths clear of Brat, who tried hard, with stayer Venting storming home out wide to take third a half-length back.
Robl indicated that either the bet365 Palmerston Sprint or the Montgomerie Lightning Plate on Darwin Cup weekend (August 2-4) would be next on the agenda for the chestnut, who has now won eight of his 25 starts for stakes of $166,665.
Devils Delight, despite a wayward path in the home straight, held on gamely to score by a half-length in the BetR Handicap (1100m).
Trained by Gary Clarke and with Adam Nicholls in the saddle, Devils Delight led soon after the start and held a nice margin around the home turn.
However, he began to shift ground from the inside rail and finished up more than halfway out on the track, but still had enough in reserve to beat Luna Field, with Sunzou a short neck back third and just a nose to the good of Orion The Hunter.
The 4yo, another of the stock of Hellbent, is putting together a decent record, and his latest win was his fifth at his 22nd start. He has two seconds and two thirds as well, and stakes now over $123,000.
Clarke and Nicholls, and co-owner Wylie Dalziel who heads the syndicate, doubled up in the next event, the Rydges Palmerson Handicap (1300m) when hot favourite Mr Marrakech proved a class above his opposition.
After beginning fast from an outside gate, Nicholls had no hesitation in sending his mount to the front, and he shared it with Frawley on his outer.
The pair rounded the home turn with a nice buffer, but soon after, Mr Marrakech beat off his chief rival and raced clear to score by three and a-half lengths from Dummy Spit, who finished well, with Frawley a game third just a head of To The Point.
Mr Marrakech will not be difficult to place going forward, as with his latest win, his third from 16 starts, he will have a rating of 63.
“He’s promising, that’s for sure,” said Clarke. “He has a massive stride and when all goes according to plan, he’s a nice galloper.”
Story Courtesy Andrew O’Toole