Fourteen-time champion trainer Gary Clarke, who recently trained his 1,000th winner in Darwin, continued his phenomenal run of bet365 Palmerston Sprint success with a sixth win in the last 11 years courtesy of Boldinho.
The $150,000 dash for cash, the feature on Day 7 of the Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival at Fannie Bay, was widely expected to be a romp for Melbourne speedster Balastier, who had smashed the 1200m track record a fortnight previously and was at prohibitive odds to take out the Palmerston.
But Clarke had other ideas, and after Boldinho began well and settled fourth on the fence behind Wild Beau and Balastier, his hopes of success rose appreciably.
Wild Beau had begun like a shot from the outside gate and headed Balastier, whose rider Jason Lyon allowed Wild Beau to cross and lead passing the 900m mark.
Lyon angled his mount to Wild Beau’s outer and the pair travelled together approaching the home turn, but it was evident that Boldinho, right behind them on the fence, had plenty to offer.
On straightening Wild Beau found a kick, Balastier began to battle and the gap between them was an open invitation for Tsaikos, who pushed the button on Boldinho and surged to the lead at the 200m.
He got clear of Wild Beau but then had to withstand the storming finish of three-time Palmerston winner Early Crow, who was angled into the clear by Jade Hampson after being back in the ruck on the fence.
But try as he might, Boldinho had secured first run on his rivals and hit the line with a length and a-half to spare from a game Early Crow, with Wild Beau going the race of his life to hold third three lengths back and a length or so to the good of Balastier, who had every chance. Topweight Dakota Lee was next.
Clarke, 59, has achieved everything there is to achieve in Territory racing but it was crystal clear that he derived plenty of pleasure from his latest feature race success.
“That is pretty special – it’s right up there with my most satisfying wins,” said the master conditioner.
“We bought this horse last year to win the Palmerston and he had no luck and finished fifth, and then was a good second in the Pioneer behind Dakota Lee, but this is the one we wanted.
“It’s a team effort and I owe my staff everything – I couldn’t do it without them,” he added.
Clarke has had a fantastic run of success since training his first Palmerston winner, Handsome Tycoon, who also won the Pioneer Sprint the same year, in 2016. He won three in a row with Captain Punch (2018, 2019) and Enigman (2020) and was at it again a couple of years later with Syncline. But his latest might just top them all!
Tsaikos, winning his first Palmerston and picking up his third successive win on the day, was at his philosophical best after the race.
“I was suspended last week and missed Wednesday’s meeting, but my old boss used to say just keep working hard and good things will come.
“We got a beautiful run in transit and coming to the turn, all I needed was a little room as I had a lapful of horse. And once we were through the gap, the result was never in doubt,” said Tsaikos.
Boldinho, a 7yo son of Brazen Beau and Petite (by Reset), is raced by trainer’s wife Sharlene, Kevin King, Brendan Cunningham, Trevor and Marilyn Gladwin, and the Parap Boys, comprising Angus Fleming, Craig Carter, Linley Crawford, Garry Daly, Matthew Dillon, Rex Edmonds, Findlay Fleming, Duncan Marcroft and Andrew Nakov.
The gelding has been a tremendous acquisition to the Clarke team and is something of a stable favourite. He took his overall record to 13 wins, seven seconds and three thirds from 45 starts and with the $99,000 first prize for his latest win, he now has stakes of $661,947.
The dream Carnival of trainer Chris Nash and rider Richard Bensley continued when Vieri turned his form around with a well-timed finishing effort in the Viadux Mile (1600m).
After standing in the gates and missing the start by ten lengths over the same trip on 18 July, Vieri trialled in between times and this time made no mistake from the break, beginning well and taking up a trailing position as Hennessy Lad and Mummsie led the way.
Paul Shiers controlled the speed aboard Hennessy Lad and had most of his rivals off the bit around the home turn, but Bensley had stoked up Vieri across the top and he issued his challenge with 200m to run.
After a stirring tussle, the 5yo got the measure of Hennessy Lad to score cosily by three-quarters of a-length, with Magarten making ground into third two and a-half lengths back.
Nash was sending out his sixth winner of the Carnival, and Bensley picked up his seventh, the pair combining for six wins as a combination.
Vieri, a beautifully-bred son of Russian Revolution and Our Libretto, has now won six times from 23 starts, and with eight placings as well, has stakes of $126,840.
Texture (Dick Leech/Jade Hampson) backed up from an impressive win a week ago with an equally strong performance in the Stratco Administrator’s Cup (1300m).
After beginning well, Hampson elected to press on and lead, and down the side the son of Exceed And Excel slid clear by three lengths as the home turn loomed.
He had a good buffer at Silks Corner and never looked in danger of defeat, although Easy Red finished off well to be beaten just a length, with Itwasonlyakiss battling on gamely into third just over two lengths back.
The just turned 4yo looks to have a real future for his connections, trainer Leech, Brittain Racing and Leon Follett from Victoria. With two Darwin wins and two minor placings prior to coming to the Top End, his stakes now stand at almost $70,000.
Shisuta Bo provided Alice Springs-based rider Ianish Luximon with his first 2026 Darwin Carnival success when racing on-pace and proving too strong in the KNL Fire Handicap (1300m).
Trained by Kym Healy, who has sent out three Carnival winners to date, Shisuta Bo shared the speed with Struck Gold and rounding the final turn, found a good kick to establish a winning break.
Try as Struck Gold might, he could not reel in the leader, who hit the line a length and a-half to the good of the runner-up, with Gravina an eye-catching third a length farther away.
The 6yo mare by Mikki Isle has won twice in the Top End, her earlier win coming pre-Carnival on 20 June. She has now collected eight wins and nine placings from 35 starts, and has stakes of over $230,000.
Tee Galleria, from the extreme outside gate, was a meritorious and most popular winner of the Victoria Village Katherine TROBIS Maiden (1200m).
Trained and beautifully ridden by Paul Shiers, Tee Galleria began brilliantly and Shiers persevered for the lead on the rail, which he eventually got. He was joined by Flash Kermy across the top and this pair went for home with a break on the opposition.
Just when it looked as though Flash Kermy would give Hannah Le Blanc her first winner of the Carnival, Shiers conjured another effort out of Tee Galleria, who fought back like a caged lion to get the decision by a half neck.
Kal It Magic took third over three lengths away, and just in front of Warrego, who finished off well.
Tee Galleria had not started since 14 February and Shiers reported after the race that he had had huge problems with the gelding’s feet.
“I owe Chris Pollard (fellow trainer and farrier) a debt of gratitude, and probably more than a few beers, for sorting his feet out. Ever since the wet season, he’s had terrible feet troubles, but today makes all the hard work worthwhile,” said a delighted Shiers.
Tee Galleria was winning his maiden at the seventh time of asking, but with three seconds, a third and a fourth, he has been nothing if not consistent. With the first prize and $5,000 TROBIS bonus, he took his earnings to just over $46,000.
Verbosity, beaten 15 lengths into seventh of seven when last produced at Tennant Creek on 16 May, turned in a surprise effort when scoring narrowly in the Sitzler Sprint (1200m).
Trained by Kerry Petrick and with Stan Tsaikos in the saddle, Verbosity raced handy to the speed set by Lucky Fortuna and Mr Marrakech and took over halfway down the home straight.
He fought all the way to the line to repel the unlucky Daniher, who flew late to go down just a long head, with Starzam close-up third, a half-neck away. Mr Marrakech, Lucky Fortuna and Real Valentia were all within a length and a-half of the winner next.
Verbosity, carrying the colours of Venting who will be one of two Petrick representatives in the Darwin Cup, is a 7yo son of Headwater from a More Than Ready mare. He has now won seven times and with 10 seconds and five thirds from 46 starts, took his stakemoney to $178,655.
Not content with one winner on the day, Petrick and Tsaikos teamed up again in the very next event, the Cleanaway Handicap, when Tellez, from the outside gate, proved the strongest in the drive to the line.
Tsaikos took hold of his mount out of the gates as Snappy Sweetheart and Luna Field set a hot pace. He allowed Tellez to improve four-wide down the side and was there to challenge early in the home straight.
He assumed control inside the final 150m and soon set up a winning advantage, reaching the line a length clear of Luna Field, who tried hard after sitting outside the speed, with Dynamic Theory barrelled home from the rear to take third three-quarters of a-length away.
Tellez was also first-up, having not raced for two months. He has now won four times from 38 starts, and took his earnings to close on $170,000.
Among his owners is Petrick’s long-term partner Gordon Simmons, who also has a share in Verbosity and was celebrating a birthday on Saturday.
Story courtesy Andrew O’Toole