Jockey Jason Lyon has added an emotional win to his already strong 2026 Darwin Cup Carnival returns, taking out the Simone Montgomerie Lightning Plate board Arizona Activist.

Lyon and the six-year-old gelding came from six places back down the stretch to record a victory that as a family friend of the Montgomerie family holds a special place in his heart.

“It’s great because I know the Montgomerie family very well,” he said.“Obviously they’re from South Australia. I’m from Wyalla which is near Streaky Bay to an extent.” “I’ve ridden winners for her father Pete and haven’t had many rides in this race but we thought we had the right horse today. “It was great to win in her honour.”

Lyon heaped the praise on his trainer Chloe Baxter, who was confident Arizona Activist would be fit to race after finishing seventh in the 2026 Palmerston Sprint on Saturday. “It’s been great (to be back in Darwin again), I had a bumper carnival last year, winning the Palmerston (Sprint) and the Darby,” he said.

Earlier, the Darwin Cup Day on-track action got off to a strong start with surprises and locals getting among the winners. The Peter Stennett-trained bolter Rivkin came from behind down the stretch to take the first race of the day, the Airmaster Handicap. Territory trainer Dick Leech got on the board early, winning both Race 2 and 3 with Darwin jockey Jade Hampson bringing it home aboard Texture and Cavern, respectively.

Story courtesy NT News