Genetic Freak caused something of an upset at Fannie Bay on Saturday when at his third start in the Top End, he got the measure of Field Of Flutes after a tremendous home straight battle in the Vale Gavin Clarke Open, feature event on the six-race card.

Trained by Tayarn Halter, who sent out four winners at the two-day Kununurra Cup meeting in Western Australia in the last two weekends, Genetic Freak, a son of Shalaa, arrived in Darwin in early May and has been patiently handled since.

He showed he had good ability at his last start on 29 July, finishing fourth in the Dabble Cup behind Anson Bay, and on Saturday, after beginning fast, shared the speed with Field Of Flutes.

That pair went together down the back straight and across the top, and were still locked together rounding the home turn.

They beat off their rivals with 250m to run and waged a titanic struggle to the line, with Genetic Freak, in the hands of Dakota Gillett, getting the decision by a half-length from a game Field Of Flutes. Lim’s Bighorn battled on to take third just over a length farther back.

Genetic Freak, a 7yo gelding, was trained earlier in his career by Chris Waller before both Adam Campton and Luke Pepper had him in their care. He has now won seven of his 35 starts and with four placings as well, has stakes of $199,090.

Gillett, who comes out of her apprenticeship on 8 October, won earlier in the day aboard Miami Baby and has now registered 93 career wins. She needs just two more to outride her NT apprentice claim, having ridden 78 provincial winners to date.

Rossanado continued a stellar campaign with a dominant display in the Mitcon Projects Handicap (1300m).

Trained by Paul Shiers and with Deborah Barton in the saddle, the 5yo daughter of Toronado began well and settled third early, before the pace slackened and she went up outside the leader Struck Gold, with Bruno Bruno next.

She travelled well coming to the home turn and when Barton asked for the supreme effort, the response was immediate, Rossanado flattening out and collaring Struck Gold before Bruno Bruno came again to grab second, the margin a length and a-half. Struck Gold took third a length and a-quarter back.

Rossanado has had four starts this campaign for a first-up win in the Rosebowl on 8 July followed by two fine seconds, the first behind Anson Bay in the Dabble Cup before the same placing to Hettinger on Cup Day.

Shiers said: “She just thrives on training and racing, and this race fitted perfectly for her. I’ll see what else is suits in the coming weeks – we may as well pick up the money while we can,” he said.

Rossanado is raced by a syndicate headed by trainer’s wife Leola, and the consistent bay has now won six of her 20 starts, and with a further six seconds and two third, has stakes exceeding $150,000.

Miami Baby, aided by a patient ride from Gillett, prevailed at his first start over 1600m in the Ladbrokes Switch Handicap.

Trained by Chloe Baxter, Miami Baby began well before Gillett allowed her mount to ease out of the speed and settle fourth on the fence as New Enterprise and favourite Biden Time shared the lead, with Bryce sitting third.

Biden Time took over in front at the 500m when New Enterprise cried enough and turned the corner with the advantage. But Gillett had improved her position along the inner and with 200m to run, she angled Miami Baby into the clear and soon after challenged the leader and went on by.

Miami Baby assumed control in the last 75m and went on to register a comfortable length-and-a-half victory from Biden Time, with Bryce battling into third three lengths away.

A 5yo son of Night Of Thunder, Miami Baby has now won four of his 25 starts and with eight placings as well, took his stakes to just over $125,000.

Order Online (Gary Clarke/Danielle Hirini) showed vastly improved race manners from a week ago when finishing strongly to beat Tigers Roar in the NT News Handicap (1100m).

Seven days previously, Order Online, having his second start at Fannie Bay, threw his winning hopes away by hanging badly during the run, and actually did a good job to finish second to stablemate Tears Are Flowing.

But this time, Hirini allowed her mount to settle a little further back in the field, which allowed him to come with a well-timed run to collar the pacemakers Tigers Roar and All Inclusive in the final 50m. The winning margin was a long neck, with All Inclusive a length and a-half back third.

Order Online has now won twice from just 11 starts and the former WA-trained galloper should be seen to advantage in the coming months.

Hirini went back-to-back on another pick-up ride – Jarrod Todd was indisposed for the meeting – when Montjuic Magic gave Baxter a double with a hard-fought victory in the Fathers Day At Silks Handicap (1100m).

The winner of both Magic Millions restricted races during the recent Darwin Cup Carnival, the $20,000 purchase from the Alice Springs Tried Horse Sale on 1 May took her record since coming to the Top End to four wins and a second from five starts, and her stakes since being purchased by Baxter now stand at $91,375.

After jumping well, Montjuic Magic sat on the outer of Physical Graffiti, with favourite Littlebourkestreet up three wide on the speed. The trio came round the corner together and Montjuic Magic, in the centre, finished the stronger to edge clear of Littlebourkestreet and score by a half-length, with Physical Graffiti holding onto third a length and a-half back.

A lightly raced 5yo daughter of Starspangledbanner, Montjuic Magic has now won five of her 16 starts, and with five seconds and two thirds as well on her resume, her overall stakes are $144,110.

Favourite Meet Me At The Bar broke through for a deserved win in the last of the day, the ROANT TROBIS Maiden Plate (1000m).

A pick-up ride for Stan Tsaikos, the Chris Nash-trained 4yo began well from the outside gate, sat on the outer of Brave Heritage and then proved too strong over the concluding stages to score by a length and a-quarter from the fast-finishing Zoutara, with Brave Heritage a long head away third.

Nash has only had Meet Me At The Bar for a short time, and he had been knocking on the door, having finished second twice from four previous starts in Darwin.

The 4yo son of Royal Meeting is raced by Nash’s partner Kirby Bolton (who was celebrating her first winner as an owner) along with Mitchell Pearce and Jarrod Byers of Melbourne.

Story Courtesy Andrew O’Toole