Hettinger, who had not won since scoring in the same race 12 months previously, rediscovered his mojo with a memorable victory in the Palmerston Rydges Cup, feature event at Fannie Bay on Wednesday.
Trained by Neil Dyer at Kyneton, who has been coming to the Darwin Cup Carnival since 2008, and giving him his fifth win in the Ladies Day feature, Hettinger was ridden by apprentice Jess Booth, who is just a week and a-half into her three-month loan to Thoroughbred Racing NT and Darwin trainer Tayarn Halter.
After beginning well enough from gate seven at the 1600m start, Hettinger was forced to cover extra ground as Siakam, Pink Panther and favourite Stormfront battled for the lead. He was no better than four-wide down the back straight, got to three-wide with about 500m to run and chimed in around the final turn.
He began to lay in early in the straight and Booth was forced to change the whip from her right to her left hand to keep her mount straight.
Siakam and Pink Panther were still right in it at the 200m mark, and Awash was chiming in out a bit wider, but Hettinger kept up a relentless gallop to reach the line three-quarters of a-length to the good of an eye-catching Awash, with a neck to Siakam and Pink Panther. All three minor placegetters were trained by Gary Clarke.
Booth, 25, from Wangaratta in Victoria, rode her first winner, Move Like Jagger, at Berrigan in August 2023, and her latest and biggest success was her 31st victory.
“What a thrill – I can’t really believe it,” said a delighted Booth on weighing in.
“He had no luck in the run but coming around the final bend I thought ‘we’re a chance here’ and he just kept going. He did lay in as he often does, but he gave plenty over the last 100m.
“That’s also my first win in a non-claiming race,” said the 3kg claimer, who was unable to utilise her claim aboard Hettinger due to the feature status, and $50,000 stake, of the race.
Hettinger has now won four times in Darwin from 12 starts, and his overall record stands at eight wins from 41 starts. A large syndicate headed by his trainer races the son of I Am Invincible, and he has now amassed stakes of $227,281 for his connections.
Groundrush, at his third start in Darwin, got on the board with a hard-fought win in the Chris Williams Jewellers Handicap (1600m).
In the process, the attractive dark brown son of Trapeze Artist gave rider Jarrod Todd his first win of the Carnival, and trainer Ella Clarke some consolation for the narrow defeat of Cinque Torri in the Chief Minister’s Cup last Saturday.
After beginning well, Groundrush had company on his outer from Frankfurt, with Wicked Wish three-wide and forcing the issue down the back straight.
Todd refused to give up the lead and the inside rail, and when Wicked Wish dropped off with about 550m to run, the leader came around Silks Corner seemingly travelling better than his rivals.
However, he was chased hard by Miss Moov on the rail, and then Fierce Legend issued a likely looking challenge out in the middle of the track, but Groundrush, with Todd riding hard, found enough to hold on by a neck. Fierce Legend finished second with a length back to Miss Moov.
Racing in the familiar lilac and red colours of G and C Pastoral Co Pty Ltd, managed by Viv Oldfield, Groundrush, formerly trained by Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes, is now the winner of three of his 18 starts, and with six placings as well, took his stakes to $157,400.
Story Courtesy Andrew O’Toole