Field Of Flutes won his third race in a fresh state when leading home a Clarke Racing trifecta in the Denis Ralph Benchmark 76 Handicap, feature event on a day of doubles at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
With Jarrod Todd in the saddle, Field Of Flutes began well from the outside gate at the 1100m and soon after crossed stablemate Devils Delight to lead on the fence. The Clarke pair approached the home turn with a break on their rivals, and once in the final straight, Field Of Flutes found another gear and dashed clear of his four pursuers.
He reached the line three and a-half lengths to the good of Devils Delight, who fought on well, with the third of the Clarke trio, Awash, getting home solidly from the rear to grab third from Orion The Hunter and just a long neck behind Devils Delight.
Field Of Flutes, a 6yo son of Deep Field and the Bel Esprit mare Bel Chandon, has proven a good money-spinner for his connections Sharlene Clarke, Schooner Racing, Jamie Dyer and Graeme Koehne since first making the Top End his home late in 2024.
He won his first two races at Fannie Bay then a third post-Darwin Carnival last year, and his latest success was his eighth overall at his 30th start. In the process, he provided Clarke with his 35th winner of the season, and Todd with his 30th. Both are well clear in the respective trainers’ and jockeys’ premierships in the Top End.
Field Of Flutes’ latest success took his total stake earnings to $253,871, with $75,781 having been amassed in Darwin.
Todd secured a double when guiding Runaway Tycoon to a runaway win in the last of the day, the Book Mother’s Day Silks Handicap (1100m).
Trained by Ella Clarke, Runaway Tycoon began well, trailed third behind the leaders Miami Vice and Tigers Roar before taking over on the home turn and accelerating away to score impressively by three and a-half lengths from Kalimna Views, who ran on well from the rear along the inner, with Miami Vice just a head back third.
Runaway Tycoon, having just his second Darwin outing, has now won three of his 18 career starts, and with five thirds as well, has earnings of almost $74,000.
Ankle Rolex picked up his third straight race – for the first time in his 11-win career – when bolting away with the bet365 Handicap (1300m).
With visiting Scone-based rider Billy Cray again in the saddle as he was when the son of Cable Bay won on 24 April, Ankle Rolex tracked the speed set by Buades and got a lovely run through one-off the fence on the home turn.
The 6yo bounded well clear early in the home straight and was eased down late to win by almost six lengths from Straya Pride, with I’m A Dreamer a long head away third.
Owned by trainer/breeder Pat Johnston and his wife Nicole, Ankle Rolex is racing as well if not better than he ever has, and took his stake earnings through the $200,000 barrier to $210,376, the result of those 11 wins, three second and five thirds from 43 starts.
Johnston and Cray doubled up later in the day when Good Onya Darl just got the better of Rivers Of Babylon in the ROANT TROBIS Maiden Plate (1100m).
Rivers Of Babylon, the first raceday representative for new trainer Rhonda Cole, led from the outset but was closely attended by Good Onya Darl on the outer.
The pair went at it from the top of the home straight and it was only in the last 30m that Good Onya Darl assumed control, getting the decision by a long neck. There was a gap of four and a-half lengths back to Tenacious Zeus in third.
No I’m Not (Chris Pollard/Deborah Barton) came from many lengths off the leaders on the home turn to sweep down the middle and score impressively in the TRNT Off The Track Handicap (1300m).
After Galaxy General led early from the inside gate, he was taken on and headed by Southampton Flare, and the field really strung out as the leaders passed the 600m mark.
At that stage No I’m Not was ten lengths and more off the pace, and although she made up ground approaching Silks Corner, she was still seven or eight lengths behind the leader on straightening.
Southampton Flare found a good kick early in the straight but it was clear at the 150m mark that No I’m Not had the all the momentum. The 4yo daughter of Yes Yes Yes sailed on by and reached the line three-quarters of a-length clear of a game Southampton Flare, with Galaxy General fighting on to take third a length back.
No I’m Not, owned by her trainer, has now won three of her 19 starts and with another four placings to her credit, has stakes of $61,577.
Crazy Brave gave Barton a race-to-race double with a last-to-first victory in the Sportsbet Handicap (1200m).
Brazen Bon assumed control after the first 250m and looked to have his rivals in trouble as he rounded the final turn with a decent break.
Crazy Brave was spotting the leader a good start at that stage but Barton elected to stay to the inside and as Brazen Bon tired, the Paul Shiers-trained son of Zoustar dived through late to score by a long head from Villa Royale, with Brazen Bon holding on for third the same margin back and just ahead of Polarising.
It was deserved win for Crazy Brave, who resumed from a spell with a good second on 10 April. He has now won twice and been placed on seven occasions from 16 Top End starts, and his overall record stands at five wins, seven seconds and five thirds from 30 starts. His stakes earnings are now just short of $145,000.
Story Courtesy Andrew O’Toole