Course specialist Prince Ruban once again showed his great love for the Darwin track when holding out stablemate and favourite He’s Essential in the $40,000 Ladbrokes Lightning Wet Season Final, feature event at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
Prepared by Gary Clarke for Victorian trainer Shane Bottomley, Prince Ruban, aided by a 10 out of 10 ride by Adam “Chippy” Nicholls, trailed the leaders on the fence, challenged to the outer of Exceedingly Magic early in the home straight and held too many guns for He’s Essential to win by a length.
He’s Essential had his chance and tried hard to take the minor spoils, with the next three – Bryce, Moorestown and Execeedingly Magic – all producing good races for the Phil Cole barn.
Prince Ruban, somewhat remarkably, has collected each of his nine career vistories at Fannie Bay.
His overall recoird stands at 46 starts for nine wins and 12 placings, while his Fannie Bay endeavours are 30 starts for nine wins and 10 placings.
Clarke said: “I’m pretty sure he’d won $100,000 in stakes in Darwin before today – he’s been a great money spinner for Shane. He was given a superb ride by ‘Chippy’ too”
Pince Ruban, a seven-year-old chestnut son of Prince Dubai, took his stakes earnings with the $25,600 first prize from his latest feature win to just over $173,000. It would be surprising if he was to return to the Victorian racing circuit any time soon!
Funnyifitwon showed he will be a force to be reckoned with in whatever trainer Tayarn Halter aims him at on the back of a dominant win in the third heat of the Ladbrokes Summer Sprint Series (1300m).
The six-year-old son of Starcraft, purchased by Thoroughbred Racing NT to be offered at the Darwin Magic Millions Tried Horse Sale last August, was unable to be put up for sale after taking ill on the journey north.
He needed expert care from Howard Springs Vet’s principal Jamin Farebrother and his team to pull through, and then a great deal of care and attention from Halter and her staff to return him to full health.
But the long process paid dividends at just his second start in the Top End when, given a beautiful ride behind the speed by Sonja Logan, Funnyifitwon burst clear along the inner over the last 200m to score effortlessly by three-and-a-half lengths from He’s The Ultimate and pacemaker Pharoah Magic.
Raced by Halter, partner Lindsay Schmidt and a group of long- time stable clients, as well as TRNT Chair Ms Nicolle Rantanen Reynolds, Funnyifitwon is on target for the $40,000 St Patrick’s Day Cup (1600m) on March 16.
Safely through that, he could well make the trip to Alice Springs for a tilt at the $110,000 Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup (2000m) on April 6.
Halter was in the winner’s circle in the very next event when Cherry Stem (Raymond Vigar) finally broke through for her maiden victory in the Happy Australia Day Trobis Special Conditions Plate (1200m).
The daughter of Bon Hoffa had been racing consistently without winning, but Vigar got the best from the four-year-old after being right on pace and on the rail from the outset, scoring by a long head from a game Point Loma, with Miss Moov just a short head away third.
Whitten, in the hands of Wanderson D’Avila, stormed home from last at the 500m to down Miss Black Diamond by just over two lengths in the Renew Your Membership Handicap over (1200m).
After Belyaev led from Miss Black Diamond to the home turn, the latter dashed to the front and looked like providing Logan with her 500th career win, but it just was not to be, Whitten gaining a run through the field, claiming the leader at the 80m mark and clearing out to win nicely.
Miss Black Diamond had the rest well covered, with two lengths back to Ribtickler and Super Defense.
Rebellious Hope provided Cole with a double when in the hands of Victorian apprentice Hannah Le Blanc, she led throughout for her second Top End Victory in the Silks Darwin Maiden Handicap (1600m).
Purchased from the 2024 Darwin MM Tried Horse Sale for $19,000, Rebellious Hope led home a 2024 NT tried horse sale trifecta.
Runner-up Hotim English was a $10,000 purchase from the 2024 Alice Springs Magic Millions auction, while Carat Time, a half-length back third, was out of the same sale as the winner at a cost of $13,000.
Hey Little Sister (Chris Pollard/Stan Tsaikos) capped off some decent efforts of late when leading throughout to score in the Ladbrokes Form Genius Handicap (1000m), with Tonix a game second a half-length away, and Plague Stone, who had every chance, just under four lengths back third.
Story Courtesy of Andrew O’Toole