Champion trainer Gary Clarke and his number 1 stable rider Jarrod Todd, who were front and centre at last Friday night’s Top End Racing Awards, were again on song when Field Of Flutes led throughout in the Chris Williams Jewellers Handicap, feature event at Fannie Bay on Tuesday.
The Melbourne Cup Day Darwin feature, worth $30,000, attracted a competitive line-up but it was topweight Field Of Flutes, carrying 61kg, who came out on top, registering his third successive victory in the process.
After beginning well as he seemingly always does, Todd sent Field Of Flutes to the lead and he assumed control from Hamlet Von Snitzel, with Struck Gold tucked away in a lovely trailing position.
Having his first start at 1300m, Field Of Flutes turned for home at Silks Corner with the advantage but Struck Gold was immediately out to challenge and Stormfront came with him wider out.
They all had a shot at the gold inside the final 200m but Field Of Flutes just kept finding under Todd’s urgings and held his rivals at bay to score by three-quarters of a-length from Stormfront, with Struck Gold a long neck back third and just ahead of Bon’s Pride.
Clarke, who won his 14th straight Top End trainer’s title and carried off a number of other awards besides with co-Horse of the Year Boldinho on Friday, said: “If he (Field Of Flutes) was ever going to win over 1300m it was today.
“He was rock-hard fit, had a good draw and actually dropped in weight from his previous win when he carried 62.5kg. He’s a tough horse and just tries so hard,” he said.
Todd was the leading rider for a seventh successive time at the Top End awards, and after a slow start to the season, is now hitting his straps like the champion he is.
Field Of Flutes, a 7yo son of Deep Field who won four races under the guidance of Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Ciaron Maher, has added a further eight with Clarke and his record now stands at 12 wins, eight seconds and four thirds from 39 starts, and his stakes now stand at $345,185.
Clarke and Todd brought up a double on the day when Biden Time made it back-to-back wins over 1600m in the Jamie Dyer Plumbing Handicap.
An all-the-way winner in 0-58 grade on 17 October, Biden Time stepped up to 0-64 company and in a virtual carbon copy of last time, went to the front on the fence but had significant company from Sass and Villa Seventynine, with Barocco Bar just behind that trio.
However, Todd never gave up the fence, was able to make the pair outside him work and then in the straight, found a good kick to reach the line two and a-half lengths clear of Barocco Bar, who fought on well, with Sass a game third a half-length back and just in front of Villa Seventynine.
Biden Time, who according to his trainer “has a few quirks,” has now picked up six wins from 26 starts, and with five placings as well, has stakes of just over $150,000.
Mods (Tommy Logan/Billy Cray) made it back-to-back wins with a strong effort in the Happy 40th Bedros TROBIS Handicap (1300m).
Cray settled his mount in a beautiful spot just behind the pace set by Tee Galleria and Charlie Magic and was poised to pounce on the point of the home turn. Angled into the clear, he took a little while to hit top gear but over the final 150m, got the better of Charlie Magic to score by a length, with Funnyifiwon three lengths back third.
Mods, a 5yo son of Vancouver, had won in similar fashion at his previous start on 24 October, and has now scored five wins from 25 starts. With the stake of $14,960 for his latest win, he took his earnings passed $91,000.
Logan and Cray teamed up for a double when Steamy Mist gave her rivals a galloping lesson in the Electrical Supply Solutions Handicap (1100m).
After winning at her first Darwin start on 17 October in a class two 1000m, Steamy Mist stepped up markedly in grade to a 0-70 but it mattered not, as she went straight to the front with Littlebourkestreet for company on her outer.
The two mares went together to the home turn but when Cray released the brakes on the point of the home turn, the response was immediate, Steamy Mist bolting clear to win untouched by five and a-half lengths.
Littlebourkestreet fought on gamely to take second, with Alaa Plenty going a good race first-up in Darwin to grab third a length back.
Steamy Mist, a 5yo daughter of Headwater, looks to have plenty more in store judged on her only two Top End starts, and her record now stands at four wins, a second and two thirds from 14 starts for stakes of $94,900.
Ask Your Mother (Tayarn Halter/Dakota Gillett) made a winning Top End debut when getting over the top of Be Brief to score a length win in the Top End Roofing Maiden (1200m).
Be Brief, like Ask Your Mother purchased out of the Magic Millions Darwin Tried Horse Sale held in late July, began well and set up a good lead, although inclined to over race a little. He turned for home with a big break but Ask Your Mother wore him down late to get up by a length. Pierre Le Quill took third four lengths away.
Ask Your Mother, a 5yo son of Alabama Express, was winning for the first time at the 12th time of asking. He had two seconds and two thirds prior to his maiden win, and with the $14,950 earned at his first Darwin outing, took his stakes to just over $40,000. He is already well on the way to recouping his purchase price of $27,000.
Cavern (Dick Leech/Vanessa Arnott), having his first start since Darwin Cup Day when he won, repeated the dose with a hard-fought victory in the PointsBet Pull ‘Em Handicap (1100m).
Cavern trailed about fourth or fifth as Good Onya Darl set a strong pace in the hands of Raymond Vigar. As the leader drifted wide on the track around the home turn, Arnott sent her mount forward to strike the lead with Gunnie Gunfighter, before holding off the challenge of Rising Water by a neck. Chewing Gum ran on well to take third just a nose back and just in front of Gunnie Gunfighter.
Cavern, a lightly-raced son of Brazen Beau, won a 0-66 1100m event on Darwin Cup Day so always looked a threat in this class two event, even though burdened with 62.5kg. He has now won three of his eight starts and his stakes stand at just short of $82,000.
Story Courtesy Andrew O’Toole