Andrew O’Toole
Courtesy of the NT News
Poupee kept her unbeaten Darwin record intact in spectacular style with a barnstorming win in the ANZAC Day handicap (1100m), feature event at Fannie Bay on Monday.
The four-year-old daughter of Better Than ready, formerly trained in Queensland by Stuart Kendrick, joined the stable of Tommy Logan in February this year, and has not looked back since – scoring on Mark 5, April 14 and yesterday, by a combined winning margin of 15.6 lengths.
With regular rider Sonja Wiseman onboard, Poupee sat off a hot speed set by Kronos and Bel’s Banner, and was giving her two rivals four or five lengths start rounding the home turn. But Wiseman stuck to the inside and Poupee flattened out over the last 200m to collar Bel’s Banner and race away under a minimum of urging.
A delighted Logan said: “All going well, I’ll give her another run in a month (May 28) in the Benchmark 76 1100m, and then freshen her for the Darwin Carinal sprints. She is a joy to train and has certainly taken to the surface well.”
Wiseman, who booted home four winners at Alice Springs on Saturday, was at it again in the Lest We Forget Handicap (1200m), guiding Redwinelover to a comfortable victory with a patient ride.
Trained by Nicole Irwin, Redwinelover, a three-year-old filly by Sidestep, was having just her second start in the Territory, and stormed home to beat Maxaway and Noble War by three lengths and more.
First Crusade, who had won at his first Darwin outing on April 14, repeated the dose in fine style in the Thank You Defence Personnel handicap (1100m). Paul Shiers had the Garry Lefoe-trained three-year-old rolling along on the pace from the outset, and he was cruising on the home turn.
Although chased hard all the way by Chief Mondo, First Crusade was far too good for his rivals, reaching the line four and a quarter lengths to the good of a game Chief Mondo, with Keen As A Bean running on well into third after being slow into stride.
Northern Factor, one of the outsiders in the Two-Up TROBIS Class 2 Handicap (1300m) showed her rivals a clean pair of heels, leading throughout in the hands of Vanessa Arnott.
The five-year-old daughter of former good racemare Ornithologist, nowadays trained by Phil Cole, held on gamely to beat Blue Jean baby by three-quarters of a length with Zip Lane running on into third half-a-length back.
Brother Bassy, another having just his second start in the Top End, came with a well-timed run for Adam Nicholls to give trainer Cole a double on the day.
Raazou was second with El Magnificence third a half length back.