Leveraged Buyout gave canny Darwin trainer Dick Leech an overdue DCOH Darwin Guineas win with a brilliant victory in the three-year-old feature at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
And now Leech, who has been training in the Territory for more years than he cares to remember, has his sights set on another first – a Ladbrokes NT Derby victory in a fortnight.
Leech has two Darwin Cups, three Palmerston Sprints, two Chief Minister’s Cups and a Metric Mile on his mantelpiece, but the Top End three-year-old features have eluded him, until now. But in Leveraged Buyout, he looks to have a horse capable of carrying off the $50,000 DCOH Darwin Double for any horse that can win the Guineas and the Derby.
Given a lovely ride by apprentice Jade Hampson, who won the same race 12 months ago on Vanguard Legend, Leveraged Buyout was a half-stride slow from the gates but was rousted forward to take up a position three-back on the fence.
Rivers Of Babylon led from Hopeless Romantic, Hammurabi, Easy Red and Maldini, with Leveraged Buyout enjoying an economical run just behind the first five. Hampson elected to stay towards the inside as the field approached the home turn and on straightening, was right behind Rivers Of Babylon.
Hampson angled to the outer of Rivers Of Babylon soon after and with Hammurabi battling in the centre of the track, there was a massive gap in which to drive Leveraged Buyout through.
And he let down in the style of a horse with class written all over him, bounding clear over the concluding stages to win easily by four and three-quarter lengths from a game Rivers Of Babylon, with Maldini staying on well to take third a length and a-quarter away and just in front of Hammurabi and Hopeless Romantic.
A delighted Leech said: “Get your chequebook out, we’re coming for the Derby now! He’s a classy galloper and Jade gave him a 10 out of 10 ride.”
Hampson, who has only just returned to race riding after almost 11 months on the sidelines with hand and finger injuries suffered in a barrier mishap, had no concerns in the run.
“He travelled easily the whole way and we just needed the gaps to open on the corner, which they did.
“He’s got massive ability and did that really well,” said the 22yo, who teamed up with Leech in 2023 to win the Alice Springs Cup with Write Your Name, but had to miss his Darwin Cup victory the same year after a racefall that left her with a fractured back.
Leveraged Buyout, a son of Dundeel and Rosental, was a $22,500 buy at the Inglis Online auction in late February, and has now won his present connections Leech, Brittain Racing and Gavin McMahon almost $209,000, the result of five wins and four seconds from just 16 starts.
Balastier came out on top in a much-anticipated speed battle in the DCOH Defence Industry Open (1100m) – but only just.
The former Victorian speedster, having his first start in Darwin and now trained by Chloe Baxter, began well enough but Zourata from the inside gate was able to hold him out and the pair went together by the 800m mark.
Balastier was given a little more rein around the home turn by Jason Lyon and appeared to have Zourata’s measure, but the favourite could not quite get clear of his rival and at the 200m mark, it was still race on.
And then in the final 100m, Bon’s Pride, from many lengths off the pace, began to storm home and the trio went to the line with just a neck and a head separating Balastier, Bon’s Pride and Zourata in that order.
“Phew, I don’t need that sort of pressure!” said a relieved Baxter afterwards. “There’s still improvement to come and he’ll go to the weight-for-age 1200m on Derby Day now – then hopefully the Palmerston,” she added.
Lyon said: “Zourata eye-balled us the whole way, and when I thought I had him cold, my bloke just floated a little bit. But he’s done a good job first-up over 1100m.”
Balastier improved his record to six wins from 12 career starts, and the attractive son of Brazen Beau has now amassed $160,800 in stakes for his connections.
Maxxi Bon, aided by a nice ride from visiting New South Wales jockey Richard Bensley, was an impressive winner of the DCOH Civic Handicap (1600m).
Trained by Chris Nash and co-owned by his father Andrew and Victorian trainer Gavin Bedggood, Maxxi Bon settled sixth on the fence as Venting led the way. He was still behind a wall of horses rounding the home turn and Bensley elected to stay closer to the inside as he set out after Venting and Shisuta Bo.
At the 150m mark, Maxxi Bon got clear running and surged through on the inner of Shisuta Bo to score by almost two lengths from Jimi Hendrix, who was an eye-catcher, with Venting and Shisuta Bo three-quarters of a-length back in third and fourth.
Bensley said: “It’s nice to get on the board up here this time – Chris (Nash) asked me to come up a while back and so far so good. He’s going well Maxxi Bon and is a good stayer.”
Maxxi Bon has been a consistent performer for Nash and will now target the $55,000 Buntine Handicap (2050m) which affords the winner ballot exemption into the $220,000 Great Northern Darwin Cup over the same trip on 3 August.
Garrix (Michael Hickmott/Joe Bowditch) proved too good for his five rivals in the Courtyard by Marriott 3YO Handicap (1600m).
After beginning well from the outside gate, Garrix was sent forward to lead and Bowditch slowed the speed down the back straight. After being joined at the 700m mark, Garrix increased the tempo and rounded the home turn with a two-length buffer.
He kept finding all the way to the line and had a length and a-quarter to spare from Grinzinger Tundra, with Laws Wars battling into third three-quarters of a-length back.
Garrix, who won his maiden in Alice Springs at his previous start, is raced by Minella Bloodstock, Alice Springs Turf Club Chairman Andrew Maloney and Andrew Beaton, and will almost certainly go on to the $150,000 Ladbrokes NT Derby (2050m) in a fortnight.
Faberge Tzar (Andrew Perdon/Lyon) justified some inspired betting support to prevail in a good finish to the Textum Roofing Handicap.
From the inside gate, Lyon was able to give his mount a lovely run in transit behind the speed set by Beau Factor, and he stayed to the inside rounding the home turn.
Just when it looked as though Tennessee Whiskey would take the honours, Lyon conjured a late challenge out of Faberge Tzar, and he got his rivals’ measure to score by a length, with Tennessee Whiskey a game second a half-length clear of the fast-finishing He’s Maverick.
Faberge Tzar, who first came to Darwin as a 3yo – he is now a rising 6yo – has won four times from 14 starts in the Top End for his Victorian-based trainer, and took his overall stake earnings to $135,510 with his latest win, his seventh career success.
Perdon was back in the winner’s enclosure in the very next event, the Solis Real Estate Handicap (1300m), when Ocean’s Jen was given a copybook ride by Aaron Sweeney.
Sweeney allowed his mount to settle towards the rear and saved every inch of ground on the fence. Ocean’s Jen travelled sweetly throughout, was angled to the outer of leader In No Doubt early in the run home and dashed away to win impressively by over three lengths from In No Doubt, with Dummy Spit, also trained by Perdon, third.
Ocean’s Jen had put the writing on the wall a week earlier with a solid second to Field Of Praise, and there was confidence in the camp that the 8yo daughter of Ocean Park could go one better. She has now won six of her 32 starts and took her stakes to almost $177,000.
The Girl’s Boy, trained in Alice Springs by Kerry Petrick, came with a solid home straight finish to down pacemaker Hebel in the Frontier Hotel and Punters Bar Handicap (1300m).
In the hands of apprentice Lek Maloney, The Girl’s Boy began well and settled third on the inner behind Hebel and Villa Seventynine. It was a compact field passing the 600m mark but soon after, Hebel shot well clear and turned into the straight with a four-length advantage.
But The Girl’s Boy chased hard and over the final 100m, descended on Hebel after angling to his outer and cleared out to win by a length and a-quarter, with Orion The Hunter, who was trapped wide throughout, almost five lengths back third.
The Girl’s Boy, the winner now of 13 races, has a real liking for the Fannie Bay track, his latest win his third from ten attempts. Among his owners is Carol Need, the Chair of the Darwin Turf Club, who was on hand to celebrate with her fellow connections.
Victorian apprentice Jess Booth, on-loan to the Clarke stable for three months, had just the one mount on Day 1 of the Carnival but made it count, guiding the Clarke-trained Galaxy General to an all-the-way win in the Novotel Darwin Handicap (1200m).
Making the most of Booth’s 3kg apprentice claim, Galaxy General went straight to the front from the inside gate and defied his rivals to run him down. He kept going gamely all the way to the line to score by three and a-half lengths from favourite Montjuic Magic, who appeared to have every chance, with I Loverain an honest third.
Galaxy General, who had not won a race for over 12 months, has now picked up eight victories in 43 career starts, and with the $18,425 first prize for his latest win, has stakes of over $178,000.
Clarke picked up his second winner of the day, and Jarrod Todd his first, when Wallenda, on his first Top End start, fought off the late challenge of Anson Bay in the Northcrest Handicap (1100m).
The former Ciaron Maher-trained 5yo, who had not had a run since finishing fourth at Warwick Farm on 4 March, sat outside the speed set by Bruno Bruno and that pair made the home turn together with Anson Bay making his run out a little wider.
The trio set down to a tremendous battle, but Wallenda kept finding to prevail by a long neck from Anson Bay, with Bruno Bruno a game third just three-quarters of a-length away.
A son of Trapeze Artist, Wallenda has now won four times from 29 starts, and with four seconds and four thirds as well, improved his stake earnings to a shade over $336,000.
Story courtesy Andrew O’Toole