Venting, the winner of every club Cup in the Territory with the exception of the Great Northern Darwin Cup, assured himself of a third tilt at that elusive major on the first Monday in August with a devastating last-to-first victory in the $55,000 TAB Metric Mile, feature event at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
And in the process, the rising 8yo son of Star Witness provided trainer Kerry Petrick with her second Metric Mile victory, 24 years after winning it with Gardlandtown Moon in 2002.
Ridden by Aaron Sweeney, Venting’s finishing effort had to be seen to be believed.
He was dead last throughout and was still at the rear at the 500m mark as Wolfburn set the pace pursued by Cotehele, Crown Waters, Zondee and Magic Defense, with Rematch next.
And just when it looked like Rematch would take the prize as he overhauled Wolfburn and Magic Defense in the shadows of the post, Venting sprouted wings down the outside of the track to get the decision by a half-neck in the very last stride.
Rematch was a tremendous runner-up, with Magic Defense, who will seek to take out the Triple Crown and the $100,000 bonus that goes with it if she can win the Cup, was a fine third, a neck farther away. Wolfburn was a game fourth, with Stormfront next.
Petrick was over the moon with the win.
“He’s been a fantastic horse to the stable – I’ve had him since the Darwin Carnival of 2022. He won the Derby that year and he has been an absolute star ever since,” she enthused.
Venting, owned by loyal stable supporters Rohan McDonald, Dominic Kerr, Jeffrey Lovell and Petrick’s long-time partner Gordon Simmons, won the 2024 Alice Springs Cup, the Katherine Cup the same year and the Tennant Creek Cup in both 2025 and 2026, and in his two attempts at the Darwin Cup he finished seventh in 2022 and tenth last year.
“Perhaps it will be third time lucky!” said Petrick.
Sweeney, riding his third winner of the Carnival, said: “I was super confident even though we had the whole field in front of us. He travelled unbelievably well and I just had to get into clear air and I knew he’d finish fast. It was a tremendous performance.”
Venting, the winner of 15 races from 65 starts, took his stake earnings to just $376 shy of $500,000, a tremendous performance from a horse that had won one race and just $28,250 before entering the Petrick stable.
Petrick will have both Magic Defense and Venting as her representatives in the $220,000 Great Northern Darwin Cup on 3 August as she attempts to win it for a second time, 16 years after Shout Out Loud’s 2010 victory.
Zourata, given a lovely front-running ride by Dakota Gillett, proved too good for his rivals in the Silk Laser Clinics Flying Sprint (1100m).
Having her only ride of the day, Gillett sent Zourata to the lead from the inside gate, established a break on thier rivals approaching the home turn and held on gamely to defy Devils Delights by a half-length, with the unlucky Anson Bay a fast-finishing third just three-quarters of a-length back after bungling the start.
Zourata, a rising 7yo chestnut son of Zoustar trained by Peter Robl, has now won 11 races from 35 starts, and with four seconds and four thirds, has proven a great money-spinner for his connections, headed by well-known businessman John “Foxy” Robinson.
Gillett has been aboard Zourata for five of his wins, and has a great affinity with the solidly built sprinter. He was not entered for the bet365 Palmerston Sprint next Saturday but will instead attempt to go one better than he did last year in the Montgomerie Lightning (1000m) on Darwin Cup Day.
Jumping Power Two bounced back to his best with a hard-fought win in the H On Mitchell Sprint (1000m).
Giving trainer Tommy Logan his first winner of the Carnival, Jumping Power Two, in the hands of Richard Bensley, began well from the inside gate but immediately had company from favourite Luna Field on his outer and Kissing Supido three-wide.
The trio went stride for stride to the home turn, at which point Luna Field exhibited signs of distress and dropped out of the battle.
But Jumping Power Two, kept up to his work by Bensley, kept on finding and reached the line two and a-half lengths to the good of Throw At Da Stumps, who came from many lengths adrift of the field at the 400m mark to take second, with Luna Field third a length away.
Jumping Power Two, a son of Super One, won his first four Darwin starts in succession before an unfortunate incident at the starting stalls in January when he flipped over and landed on his regular rider Sonja Logan, fracturing her pelvis.
Trainer Logan then sent him south for some remedial starting stall education and at his third start back, he justified the stable’s faith in the now eight-race winner.
Sonja Logan, still the rising 7yo’s biggest fan, was on-course to cheer home her pride and joy and the popular jockey was in tears as Bensley brought the gelding back to scale.
Envenomate continued the good run being experienced by trainer Dick Leech and jockey Jade Hampson when causing an upset in the Mitcon Projects Handicap (1200m).
After trailing the speed set by Miss Boom, I Loverain and Red Extreme, Hampson produced Envenomate with a well-timed run to collar the leaders in the last 100m for a comfortable three-quarter length win from Red Extreme, who fought on well to hold second by a half head from I Loverain.
Leech and Hampson combined last week when Leveraged Buyout took out the NT Derby but Envenomate, at $19.30 on the tote, was something of a surprise winner.
The rising 9yo son of Anacheeva has now won eight races for Leech and Brittain Racing, and with a further five placings, took his stake earnings to just shy of $125,000.
Not content with one victory, the Leech/Hampson combination were in the winner’s enclosure in the very next event when Texture, having his first Top End start, prevailed by a long neck in the voco Darwin Suites 3YO Handicap (1200m).
Snappy Sweetheart led the way and was joined by Si Senora and Yule Point out three-wide down the side of the course. Texture, trailing on the fence behind the leaders, stayed to the inner and shot through to hit the lead with 200m to go.
Yule Point, who made the home turn awkwardly and lost valuable ground, was still right in the fight inside the last 100m but Texture held the advantage to the line. Yule Point took second, almost two lengths to the good of Voronya, who went another honest race, with Forever A Diamond a good fourth.
A $44,000 purchase by Leech and Phil Brittain, Texture has now had seven starts and his latest effort was his first win. The son of Exceed And Excel from a Dubawi mare looks a promising type.
Pafitis broke through for his maiden victory at the 12th time of asking in the Mittys Maiden (1100m).
Trained by Gary Clarke and with Jarrod Todd in the saddle, Pafitis was ridden off the speed set by Natalie Joy and Mapleton Hill. However, he improved across the top and was out four-wide to challenge on the point of the home turn.
He quickly went to the lead and looked set for a clear-cut win, but Natalie Joy never stopping trying and Flash Kermy finished strongly along the inner, and the result was not settled until the last two strides, Pafitis holding on to score by a long neck from Flash Kermy, with Natalie Joy just a half-head away third.
The 3yo son of Churchill, as well as Saturday’s first win, has three seconds and three third placings to his credit, and stakes now of $58,800.
Clarke and Todd doubled up later in the day when Fury repeated his impressive win of a week ago in the NT News Handicap (1600m).
After beginning well, Fury sat on the outer of Rock Revolution (Hampson) who set a moderate tempo.
Todd allowed his mount to edge closer with about 550m to run and rounding the home turn, Fury kicked clear. Although Capitol Hill and Wine Barron kept on solidly, Fury had enough in reserve to win by a little over a length from a game Capitol Hill, with Wine Barron a half-neck back third.
Fury has really come solid at his last two efforts, and his record now stands at four wins and eight placings from 21 starts. He may well have another outing during the Carnival, with the Average Benchmark 1600m on Cup Day a possible target.
Story courtesy of Andrew O’Toole