25/10/2026

Field Of Flutes, carrying the steadier of 62.5kg, defied his rivals to run him down in the Ladbrokes Tote Win +10% In October Handicap, feature event at Fannie Bay on Saturday.

Giving leading trainer Gary Clarke the second leg of a treble, Field Of Flutes, in the hands of Jarrod Todd, sped through to lead over the 1200m by the time the field reached the turn off the back straight, with Zing To Win on his outer and Genetic Freak next.

The 7yo son of Deep Field rounded the home turn expertly and immediately kicked two or three lengths clear.

And try as his opposition might, they could not bridge the gap to the topweight, who reached the line a long neck to the good of Zing To Win, with just under two lengths back to Bon’s Pride, who finished off well to cut Genetic Freak out of third.

Field Of Flutes, who won his last start on 3 October, has been a great money-spinner for his owners Sharlene Clarke, Schooner Racing (managed by David Gremmo), Jamie Dyer and Graeme Koehne since coming to Darwin late in 2024.

He has since had 21 NT starts for seven wins and six placings, and his stakes tally continues to grow, with $325,085 now in the bank from a total of 28 career outings.

Physical Graffiti provided Dakota Gillett with her first win as a senior rider when proving too strong for Jumping Power Two and company in the NT News Handicap (1200m).

Gillett (21) completed her apprenticeship earlier this month with a record of 93 wins, and began her senior riding career on the perfect note with Physical Graffiti.

Having her very first raceday ride for the Clarke Racing team, Gillett bounced Physical Graffiti out well and after being caught three-wide down the back straight, angled her mount in for cover behind leader Jumping Power Two and All Inclusive.

Physical Graffiti, having his second run back from a long spell, looked a threat rounding the home turn and so it proved, the 6yo son of Russian Revolution going out after Jumping Power Two and collaring him at the 100m before registering a length victory.

Ankle Rolex came steaming home from back in the field to take third, three-quarters of a-length back, and just in front of Order Online, who appeared to have his chance.

Physical Graffiti has now won six of his 20 starts, and the lightly raced gelding could well add to his good record in the coming weeks. He took his stake earnings to almost $146,000 with his latest victory.

Fury, giving Clarke his treble and Todd a double, was a tough winner of the last of the day, the Pointsbet Handicap (1600m).

Fury began well from a handy gate and Todd had no hesitation in sending his mount to the lead. From the first turn, he was able to control the speed expertly, although he had company in the run from Convincebility and Bruno Bruno.

Todd increased the gallop with about 600m to run and rounding the home turn, Fury had a break of about three lengths on his vainly chasing rivals.

The 6yo chestnut son of Written Tycoon kept on strongly repelling Villa Seventynine by two and a-half lengths, with Bruno Bruno a length back third and Barocco Bar next.

Fury has done a tremendous job going through the grades, and his latest win, a third from his last four starts and his fifth overall, took his earnings to just shy of $150,000.

Lady Fireball (Chris Pollard/Danielle Hirini) gained a deserved win in the Book Melbourne Cup Day at DTC TROBIS Maiden (1300m).

The 4yo daughter of Fierce Impact had finished three times third and twice fourth from just six attempts and, given a cosy run behind the speed set by Brave Heritage, Hirini brought her mount with a well-timed run along the inner to get the decision by a half-length.

Prince Of Sparta, who was handy throughout, fought on solidly to take second, while a half-length back third was My Luna, a stablemate of the winner.

Mods, owned by Sale, Victoria trainer Andrew Perdon among others, saluted for Darwin trainer Tommy Logan in the Val Scott Memorial (1100m).

Ridden by Billy Cray, who has been in fine form in the Territory in recent meetings, Mods could not keep up early and settled back with just Damo Dayz and Pafitis behind him.

Predicting led the way but had Si Senora, Meet Me At The Bar and Debating for company. There was plenty of speed on, it was made for the back markers and so it proved, Mods sailing down the outside to score by a length and a-half from Warrego, who also finished well, with Pafitis coming from last to take third ahead of Damo Dayz.

It was Cray’s seventh win of the season in the Top End, and Logan’s sixth, and the horse was strapped for the win by Logan’s wife, Sonja, the top jockey who is still on the easy list after fracturing her pelvis at the start of the year.

Mods, a 5yo gelded son of Vancouver, has now won four times from 24 starts and with six placings as well, has stakes now of $76,530.

Courtesy of Andrew O’Toole