Superstar mare Dakota Lee delivered yet another emphatic statement at Fannie Bay on Saturday when, carrying a mammoth 64kg, she demolished the field in the feature $38,500 TAB ROANT Gold Cup.
Terry Gillett’s pride and joy, ridden by his daughter Dakota-Lee after whom the mare is named, began like a bullet from the 1300m start and after having company early, assumed control passing the 1000m mark. She was pursued by Vega Magnifico, Magic Defense and Hadouken (three-wide), with Alpine Flyer and Wolfburn next.
Gillett allowed Dakota Lee to freewheel down the side and she made the home turn with her rivals flat out trying to keep in touch.
She kept going strongly despite the big weight and hit the line two and a-half lengths clear of a game Magic Defense, with Hadouken a superb third just under three lengths back. Crown Waters ran on well from back in the field to take fourth, while Flying Yishu was next ahead of Watadeel.
A delight Terry Gillett said: “I told Dakota to let her run – last time she held her up but her speed and toughness are her two greatest attributes. I knew she was fit enough and she really gave nothing else a chance,” he said.
Gillett has long planned to run Dakota Lee in the Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) and that plan has not changed.
“She’ll carry 56.5kg under the weight-for-age conditions of the race. That’s 7.5kg less than she won with today – they’ll know she’s in the race, that’s for sure,” he said.
It was Gillett’s second win in the ROANT Cup, having won the second division of the race 12 months ago with Great Buy, who couldn’t even get a start in this year’s renewal, such was the strength of the field.
Dakota Lee improved her phenomenal record to 15 wins, a second and a third from just 18 career starts, and her stake earnings now stand at just $218 shy of $370,000. She is raced by long-time Gillett-stable client Andrew McClure along with Jeff Huyben, who have had a roller-coaster ride with the rising 8yo daughter of Kuroshio and Manzie De Lago.
In the process of securing her 15th win, Dakota Lee also set a weight-carrying record for the ROANT Cup – Hawks Bay (2012) carried 63kg in the race the year he won his second Darwin Cup, while old warrior Noir De Rue lumped 63.5kg to victory in 2023.
Alice Springs Cup winner Magic Defense went a super race first-up, while Hadouken, the two-time Darwin Cup winner, also lost no admirers with his effort.
Ichiban, aided by a lovely Jarrod Todd ride, proved too strong for his rivals in the JSM Civils Mile.
Trained by Gary Clarke, Ichiban, third in the Alice Springs Cup two starts ago, settled third and fourth on the fence behind pacemakers Rock Revolution and Barocco Bar.
Todd extricated him from the trail to challenge Rock Revolution rounding the home turn and after a decent battle, got the upper hand late to win by a length. Rock Revolution fought on gamely to take second, with Maxxi Bon a solid third after racing handier than usual.
Ichiban will possibly go forward to the $55,000 Rydges Cup (1600m) on Ladies Day (8 July) before a tilt at the Buntine Handicap (2050m) on 18 July.
“He’s going really well but we have to place him in the right races to improve his rating for the Cup,” said Clarke. “He’ll be a 74 rater after today but might need to win another one or two to guarantee a start in the Darwin Cup,” he said.
Ichiban races in the colours of race sponsor Josh McShanag, and has now won five of his 33 starts for stakes of just over $181,000.
Rhonda Cole, who has had her trainer’s license since early May, sent out her first winner at just the tenth time of asking when Rivers Of Babylon gained a thoroughly-deserved victory in the AER Industries TROBIS 0-58 Handicap (1200m).
Ridden by Wayne Davis, Rivers Of Babylon, who had finished runner-up at his previous four starts in Darwin, began well, controlled the speed and found a good kick in the home straight when challenged by the favourite Dynamic Theory.
The 3yo son of Zousain was strong late, reaching the line two and a-half lengths to the good of Dynamic Theory, who had every chance, with Miami Baby making ground into third a half-length back.
Cole is also a part-owner in Rivers Of Babylon, who as well as picking up the winning stake of $14,950, also collected the TROBIS Bonus of $5,000. Prior to Saturday’s debut success, Cole had saddled up nine runners for five seconds and two thirds, so she was certainly due a memorable first winner.
In the very next event, the SEM Group Fillies and Mares Handicap, Cole’s trainer husband Phil was in the winner’s circle when Field Of Praise gave apprentice Jade Hampson a welcome winner.
Hampson, who cut her teeth in the Territory but is now based on the Gold Coast (but back in Darwin for the Carnival), was having just her second day’s riding since last August when she suffered serious injuries to her hands and fingers in a barrier mishap in Queensland.
It took a number of surgeries and plenty of time before she was able to ride again on raceday just last week, but she showed she had lost none of her poise in the saddle with a polished display aboard Field Of Praise.
Miss Black Diamond led the way at a fast pace from Sass, Miss Boom and Ariarne, with Field Of Praise tucked away on the inside behind the speed. Hampson stayed tight to the rail around the home turn and Field Of Praise found a sharp turn of foot to dash clear and win eased down by almost four lengths from Ocean’s Jen, who ran home well, with Sass a game third just ahead of Ariarne.
Runaway Tycoon embellished his already sizeable reputation with a dominant display in the SBA Office National Handicap (1200m).
Having his first start for seven weeks following an impressive winning effort over 1100m on 9 May, Runaway Tycoon, trained by Ella Clarke and with Todd aboard, began well but was headed on the inner by Dad Bod.
Todd allowed his mount to sit on the outer of Dad Bod but rounding the home turn, it was clear he had that rival’s measure and soon after put the rest of the field away with a devastating burst, reaching the line almost six lengths clear in a cracking time of 1:07.77s.
Time To Baca rattled home to take second, with Dad Bod holding on gamely to third a length away.
Runaway Tycoon, an attractive liver chestnut son of Written Tycoon, has now won four of his 19 starts and has taken to the Top End conditions in great style. He could well prove a rising star of the upcoming Carnival.
Ella Clarke and Todd went back-to-back when Wild Beau bolted away with the On Fire Racing Handicap (1000m).
The short-course specialist was a little tardy into stride but soon went forward to assume control by the time the field made the first turn at the 650m mark.
Todd allowed his mount a little more rein approaching Silks Corner and the son of Brazen Beau went into another gear, roaring clear to score by almost six lengths from Real Valentia, with Jumping Power Two third.
He was timed for the distance in 56.05s, just .09s outside Rising Sphere’s track record set back in August 2024. And with the victory, Todd picked up his third winner of the day.
Easy Red assured himself a start in the $82,500 DCOH Guineas in seven days’ time with a hard-fought victory in the Sunset Plumbing NT Maiden (1300m).
Trained by Chris Nash and with Hannah Le Blanc in the saddle, Easy Red had to do things the hard way from his outside gate of 10. He was four-wide on the speed before getting in three-wide across the top, but still ran clear of his rivals over the concluding stages to score by just over four lengths from Fabres, with Dynasty Reward third a length and a-quarter back.
“At least he’ll get in the Guineas now,” quipped Nash. “He looks like he wants the Derby trip, he covered plenty of ground and was still strong through the line,” he added.
Easy Red races in the DCOH colours of co-owner Shane Dignan, who sponsors the Guineas on Day 1 of the Carnival, 3 July, and judged on Saturday’s effort, Easy Red won’t be without a chance in the feature.
Story courtesy Andrew O’Toole