Bon’s Your Back thrust himself into Darwin Cup Carnival contention with an authoritative win in the Ladbrokes Odds Surge Handicap, feature event at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
The 5yo son of Bon Aurum, having just his fifth start in the Top End, sat outside the pacemaker Siakam from the outset of the 1300m, joined that runner on the point of the home turn, and kicked well clear over the concluding stages to score by three and a-quarter lengths.
He was chased gamely by Tannenburg, who finished off well down the centre of the track, with Siakam holding on to take third just a long head back.
Bon’s Your Back, trained by Chris Pollard, has now won two of his handful of starts in Darwin, and the manner in which he dealt to some talented rivals augurs well for the future.
“He just keeps improving,” said Pollard. “We’ll have to map out a plan for the Carnival now, but 1300m is obviously no problem for him so a race like the ROANT Cup (28 June) could well be on his agenda – and I reckon he’ll get a mile too,” he said.
Bon’s Your Back, raced by Joy Dyer, Big Players and Allan Gillett, has now won six of his 25 career starts, and with six minor placings as well, took his stake earnings to $147,920.
Perennial placegetter Global Wonder gave WA rider Kristo Sardelic a win at his very first ride in the Top End when far too strong for his rivals in the Early Bird Carnival Tickets On Sale Handicap (1300m).
Trained by Gary Clarke, Global Wonder bounced the gates – for a change – and sat outside the speed, set by Desarmer and Villa Seventynine, albeit three-wide.
When Desarmer dropped off before the home turn, Sardelic sent his mount forward to challenge Villa Seventynine and soon after assumed control. He was never in danger of defeat over the last 250m, and reached the line a length and a-half to the good of Villa Seventynine, with Daniher an eye-catching third just over two lengths back.
Global Wonder, who had amassed no less than 15 seconds and 15 thirds during his 57-start career prior to Saturday, has now won eight times and has stakes of just under $237,000.
Sardelic was in the winner’s circle twice more on the day – from a total of just three rides – when Hey Little Sister, the outsider of the five-horse field, showed admirable tenacity to score in the Welcome To The Dry Handicap (1000m), before Danger Man completed a fairytale day with victory in the darwinturfclub.org.au Handicap (1600m).
The Pollard-trained Hey Little Sister, who was reluctant to load into the gates, came out running, sat on the outside of the favourite Galaxy General, and kept going under strong urging to score by a long head from Kissing Supido, who dashed home late, with Galaxy General a half-length back third.
Pollard owns and trains the daughter of Show A Heart, who was winning her third race from some 22 career starts and was racing way out of her grade. The 51 rater paid in excess of $40 on the tote.
It was a red-letter day for “Pollard’s Palace”, with the popular trainer then sending out Danger Man, who downed his stablemate Miss Moov, to win the last of the day.
Sardelic had his mount in a good place throughout as Miss Moov controlled the pace before kicking strongly on straightening for the run home. But Danger Man let down like a sprinter in the last 150m to dash past Miss Moov to score by almost two lengths. Miss Moov was a similar margin clear of the favourite Desert Mist, who struck traffic problems in the run.
The Clarke Racing team doubled up in the fourth of the day, the Great Northern TROBIS 3yo Handicap when All Inclusive, having his first start in the Top End, got up late to score a hard-fought win.
Ridden by Adam Nicholls, All Inclusive shared the lead throughout with Li’l Brazen, and the pair waged a great home straight battle, with the topweight scoring by three-quarters of a-length from his fast-finishing stablemate Bollon, with a game Li’l Brazen a half-head away third.
All Inclusive, an attractive son of All Too Hard, was formerly trained by David Van Dyke in Queensland, and had won at his first career start at Doomben in February last year. In two subsequent starts, he had failed to pay a dividend, but judged on his first Darwin effort, there are more wins in store.
Tugela Falls, trained and ridden by Paul Shiers, repeated his maiden win a fortnight previously when leading throughout in the Silks Darwin Sunday Carvery Handicap (1200m).
He went straight to the front, got away with some soft sectionals down the back straight before kicking strongly on the home turn. The 4yo son of Hallowed Crown was not for catching, reaching the line a length and a-half clear of a game Frankfurt, with Field Of Praise the same margin back third.
Story Courtesy Andrew O’Toole