Rematch, given a perfect ride by New South Wales horseman Richard Bensley, upset his more fancied rivals to score an authoritative win in the $55,000 Rydges Palmerston Cup, feature event on Day 2 of the Darwin Cup Carnival on Wednesday.

The traditional Ladies Day attracted an excellent crowd on-course to witness the Chris Nash-trained 5yo, raced by a syndicate headed by local businessmen Justin Coleman and Shane Dignan, take out the major prize by a length from Ichiban, with King Akeed a further two lengths back fourth.

From a middle draw, Rematch began well and Bensley slotted him in perfectly to be fourth or fifth behind the leaders Hettinger, Rock Revolution and Our Couver and on the inner of Ichiban.

Our Couver was the first to come under pressure passing the 600m and Rock Revolution retreated soon after, but Rematch was trucking up along the inner behind Hettinger, while his chief rival and favourite Ichiban was forced out three-wide.

Rounding the home turn, Rematch angled to the outer of Hettinger and in a twinkling went straight on by before shooting clear to an unassailable lead. Ichiban kept coming but could not bridge the gap and had to be content with second.

Bensley, who rode Maxxi Bon to win for Nash last Saturday, has long been a fine rider on the NSW provincial and country circuit and showed his class with a polished performance.

He said: “We got into a lovely spot and he travelled like a winner the whole way. We just needed an ounce of luck but I was confident a long way out.”

Nash is now likely to aim Rematch at the $55,000 TAB Metric Mile in an attempt to fully qualify his charge for the Cup.

“He should go to a 77 rater now which is on the borderline for the Cup, so I reckon the Metric Mile in just over a fortnight is probably the target. Maxxi Bon can go to the Buntine next week and we’ll be doing our best in both,” said Nash.

Rematch, a 6yo son of Real Impact formerly trained by Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich at Scone, has had just the two Top End starts for Nash but certainly looks to have settled in well. He has now won six of his 23 starts, and with no less than ten placings, improved his stake earnings to just over $300,000 with his latest victory.

Having her first start since early April, Rossanado overcame that racecourse absence with an all-the-way win in the Fusion Exhibitions Rosebowl (1300m).

Expertly prepared and ridden by Paul Shiers, Rossanado began well and Shiers elected to take the pace, pursued by Juice Box, Self Serve and Lucky Fortuna, with Field Of Praise and Time To Baca close up next.

Shiers controlled affairs approaching the home turn but was joined by Self Serve as the pair turned the corner at Silks. Rossanado found a good kick and got clear, with only Time To Baca a threat over the concluding stages.

But the daughter of Toronado kept going in great style to score by a length and a-half from Time To Baca, with Self Serve battling into third some two and a-half lengths away. And in the process, Rossanado went two places better than when third in the same race behind Hell Fire Miss in 2025.

Shiers, who was winning his first Rosebowl as either a trainer or rider, was delighted on return to scale.

“She doesn’t like the kickback much so when she pinged the gates, I thought we might as well lead. She travelled beautifully and was very strong through the line. She’s a good mare who we’re having a lot of fun with,” he said.

Rossanado, a strongly-built 4yo, is raced by a syndicate headed by Shiers’ wife Leola, and a number of happy connections were on course to celebrate the victory. She has now won five times from just 17 starts, and with four seconds and two thirds as well, has proven a good money-spinner for her owners, with some $118,105 already in the bank.

Wild Beau overcame the outside barrier draw and a hot field to prevail effortlessly in the Silk Laser Clinics Sprint (1100m).

Trained by Ella Clarke and ridden by Jarrod Todd, Wild Beau began like a shot but had to do some work to cross rivals Cinque Torri, Field Of Flutes and Flying Annie in the early rush.

Todd was able to get a little breather down the side and rounding the home turn, he lit the afterburners and Wild Beau shot away again, reaching the line eased down by a little over three lengths from Field Of Flutes, who chased hard, with Convincebility a good fourth first-up.

Wild Beau holds the track record for the distance of 1:01.60, but got pretty close to that mark again, running 1:01.79.

“He just loves the dirt,” said a delighted Clarke. “He’s flying and Toddy gave him a great ride – that was a really good field,” she added.

Raced by Jay Abela, Betty Clarke (the trainer’s grandmother), Anthony Clarke and Barbara Kingsley, Wild Beau has won nine times from just 21 starts, and has stakes now of $174,133.

Clarke now has some thinking to do – whether to run Wild Beau in the weight-for-age 1200m on Derby Day or sit for another week for the Flying Sprint (1100m) as she plots a path to the $150,000 bet365 Palmerston Sprint on 1 August. “And there’s also the Lightning on Darwin Cup Day – but we can’t run in them all!” said Clarke.

Fields Of Courage (Gary Clarke/Todd) controlled affairs to a nicety in the Chris Williams Jewellers Handicap (1600m) and had enough in the tank to repel the challenge of stablemate Fury.

After beginning well from barrier six, Todd crossed to the plastic but was soon after joined by Bender McGee on his outer, with Hello Mary, racing rather ungenerously, up three-wide.

Todd allowed his mount just enough rein to hold both rivals out and although he had to do a little more than perhaps he would have liked, he wound up the wick on straightening and dashed clear.

Fury was the only challenger for the last 250m but try as he might, he could not bridge the gap, Fields Of Courage winning by three-quarters of a-length. The Accelator took third over three lengths away and just in front of Unquestionably, who had every chance.

Fields Of Courage, a 5yo dark brown son of Savabeel from an O’Reilly mare, has now won three times from just 14 starts, and looks to be strengthening with each run. His stakes now stand at just short of $83,000.

Auxiliary, a $34,000 purchase from the recent Magic Millions Tried Horse Sale held in Alice Springs, gave his rivals a galloping lesson in the Airnorth Handicap (1100m).

Trained in the Red Centre by Kerry Petrick and with Lek Maloney in the saddle, Auxiliary began brilliantly from barrier three and set up a clear lead approaching the home turn. Maloney went for home and although tiring late, Auxiliary was far too good, scoring by a little over a length from Littlebourkestreet, who ran on well, with Down the Wicket a game third.

A lightly-raced son of Deep Field, Auxiliary has only had seven starts and has now picked up three wins and a second for stakes of $72,200. Plenty more looks in store!

Daniher (Kevin Lamprecht/Aaron Sweeney) went back-to-back with a tough victory in the Rydges Palmerston Handicap (1300m).

After winning here on 6 June, Daniher was saved for today’s race and aided by a good ride from Sweeney, who navigated a decent run in transit from a wide draw, he finished resolutely to down Stomp’Em, who had shared the lead, by a half-length. Miami Baby finished well to take third.

Daniher, now a 6yo son of Fighting Sun, has won six of his 29 starts for owners Robyn Lamprecht and Greg Aldam, and took his stake earnings to just shy of $150,000 with his latest success.

Story courtesy Andrew O’Toole