Early Crow became the fifth back-to-back winner of the $135,000 bet365 Palmerston Sprint when Chris Pollard’s 6yo blitzed his rivals in the 1200m dash for cash at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
With Sonja Logan in the saddle, the son of Kuroshio travelled strongly behind the pacemaking Ideas Man Star Magnum and Zourata, and with about 400m to run, was angled wider to make his charge for glory rounding the home turn.
And charge he did, collaring a game Ideas Man and racing clear for a dominant two and a-quarter length win from the fast-finishing Lumber Punk, with Ideas Man holding on to third a length and a-half back with Star Magnum next.
Pollard, who has been training in Darwin for about 20 years, has had a career of ups and downs, with his previous biggest win the Chief Minister’s Cup with Igles Star in 2013. However, he has always been a fine horseman and the Palmerston win was certainly a reward for plenty of effort.
Pollard said: “It’s nice to get a good horse – I’ve a few in the stable without that much ability – and I am grateful to the owners for supporting me.
“I’ve shod this horse for a while now so I know him pretty well. And Sonja gave him a lovely ride,” he said.
For Logan, who as Sonja Wiseman missed some of the Carnival 12 months ago after being brutally bashed in her car by a group of thugs and was married in mid-August, the win was an emotion-charged one.
She said: “I am so rapt to win this race for Pollard – I was meant to ride Early Crow last year for Dick Leech before the attack – and I’ve had a good association with the owners for a good while now. It means so much to me,” she said.
Early Crow is raced by Phil Brittain along with his wife Kim and sons Brendon and Richard. Early Crow has been a good money-spinner for the family, with his latest Palmerston his 11th from just 28 starts. He has three seconds and a third as well, with stakes now at just in excess of $350,000.
Equal Balance gave South Australian trainer Kym Healy his third winner of the Carnival when sneaking home along the inside rail to score in the Silks Darwin Mile (1600m).
Ridden by leading apprentice Emma Lines, Equal Balance enjoyed a nice run behind the speed and set out after pacemaker Marvelous Night early in the home straight.
He collared his rival inside the last 100m and went on to win by a length, with favourite Global Wonder a disappointing third.
Hadrian’s Wall justified her strong market support and gave Lines a double with a tremendous win in the bet365 Class 2 Four and Five-Year-Old Plate (1100m).
Trained by Phil Cole, Hadrian’s Wall began well before dropping in to trail the leaders. Lines elected to stay hard up against the rail and in a tremendous home straight battled with Dummy Spit and Starton, got the decision by a half-head. Dummy Spit was a game second, with Starton a half-length back third.
Rising Fire (Lisa Whittle/Jason Lyon) finally got his first win on the board in Darwin when getting home narrowly in the Administrator’s Cup (1300m).
The attractive son of Headwater had won just once from 24 starts prior to Saturday, but at the 14th time of asking in Darwin, he got a well overdue victory, sticking his head out where it counted to down Roulette Queen by a long head, with Sweet As Scandi a brave third a neck farther away.
Rising Fire has now won twice and with seven seconds and four third placings to his credit, his stake earnings stand at just short of $93,000.
Your Shout Gingie, sporting the colours of the great Hawks Bay who made this Carnival his own from 2009-2012, was a popular winner of the Mintbet Maiden (1200m).
Raced by Robyn Blee and Mike Deacon, who owned two-time Darwin Cup winner Hawks Bay, in partnership with DTC Board member Annie Davis, Your Shout Gingie shared the pace with Miss Polly from the outset and the pair turned into the home straight locked together.
Your Shout Gingie, who was purchased by Deacon for $17,000 at the recent Magic Millions Tried Horse Sale held in Alice Sprints, showed admirable fighting qualities to prevail by three-quarters of a-length in the hands of Stan Tsaikos. Old Mate Smithy was a good second, with Hell Fire Miss the same margin back third and just in front of Miss Polly.
Pompeii Empire (Healy/Ianish Luximon) proved the party pooper for the supporters of hot favourite Pharoah Magic by getting in the deciding stride to down the punters’ elect by a short neck in the Vale John Russell Handicap (1200m).
Jarrod Todd sent the favourite to the front from an outside gate and he appeared to travel well rounding the home turn. But Pompeii Empire was on the scene soon after and in a desperate slog to the finish, had his head in front where it counts. Zoumist, who was always handy to the pace, took third a length back and just in front of Princess Pancakes.
Little Ditty gave her connections a much-needed fillip with an all-the-way win in the bet365 Handicap (1000m).
Trained by Terry Gillett and with his daughter Dakota in the saddle, Little Ditty was never headed and although tiring late, got in by three-quarters of a-length from the hot favourite Captain George, with Miss Black Diamond the same margin back third.
Gillett’s super sprinting mare Dakota Lee had to miss the Palmerston Sprint on Saturday after failing the mandatory vet check late in the week, so the stable win by Little Ditty was no more than they deserved.
Story courtesy of Andrew O’Toole