Jarrod Todd, the Top End’s five-time premiership winning jockey, booted home Debating for his 900th career victory at Fannie Bay on Saturday.
Todd, who along with wife Andrea and their three children, has been based in Darwin for the past dozen years after relocating from Victoria, had to wait until the last race to achieve the milestone, but got the job done in the Sky Racing Handicap (1000m).
Riding Debating for Ella Clarke – Todd is No. 1 stable jockey for her father , Gary – Todd went straight to the front, set up a decent tempo and found a kick around the home turn.
Rhesus, who trailed third throughout, came with a strong challenge over the final stages but Debating saw it through to win by a long neck, with the Story Of Stella, handy throughout, two and a half lengths back third.
Todd said, “I was going to win turning off the back corner, I was going to win rounding the home turn, but the last 50m he (Debating) tried to throw it away. I had to yell and growl at him but he did enough, thankfully,” said the popular horseman.
Todd will pick up his fifth consecutive jockey’s championship award at the Top End Racing Awards to be held at Fannie Bay next Friday.
Kerioth bounced back to his very best form with a come from behind victory in the Sportsbet Handicap (1100m)
Trained by Dick Leech and with visiting Victorian apprentice Hannah Le Blanc in the saddle, Kerioth settled fourth in the run behind tearaway leader Mr Have A Chat, who held a sizeable advantage at the 300m mark.
But Kerioth, after getting to the outside, gradually wore down the leader and collared him short of the line to win by a widening length and a half. Mr Cashman fought on to take third along the inner the same margin back, with Son Of Bielski going an eye catching race to take fourth.
Kerioth has always had good ability, and his trainer was delighted with the result. “He might not be as good as he was as a younger horse, but he still goes all right,” said an understated Leech. “I told Hannah to get to the outside and she followed the instructions to the letter.”
Raymond Vigar at just his third meeting back in the saddle after an almost four year break from race riding, was in the winner’s circle at his seventh attempt when Bryce took out the Ladbrokes Wet Season Series (Heat 1) Handicap (1200m).
The former Darwin and Alice Cup – winning jockey showed he had lost none of his ability, driving Bryce home to beat a game Starspangleddancer by three-quarters of a -length after the mare had done plenty of work on pace throughout.
The margin was three quarters of a length, with a half – length back to World Affairs.
Bryce is trained by Phil Cole, and the 4yo was winning his first race in the Top End after four previous unplaced efforts as a late 3yo.
Cole doubled up in the next, the ROANT Maiden and 3yo Class 2 Plate (1100m), when Dancer For Money left her rivals in her wake to win eased down by two and-a half lengths.
Ridden by Wanderson D’Avila, who combined with Cole for a hat trick of wins in Darwin on Melbourne Cup Day, Dancer For Money went straight to the front and was never going to be beaten. Runner up Miss Moov was good at her first Top End start, with Kiss Kiss Kiss four lengths back third.
Dancer For Money has now won twice from just six starts, and the filly looks a promising type for her big group of owners led by trainers wife Rhonda.
Well supported Seven Secrets had to withstand a serious challenge from Prince Ruban but got in the deciding stride to score by a half neck in the TAB Same Race Multi Handicap (1300m).
Trained by Chris Nash and with Adam Nicholls in the saddle, the son of Magnus, who was an eye catching second on his Darwin debut behind Patriotic King on 26 October, began well and shared the lead with Prince Ruban.
Ankle Rolex went forward with about 850m to run and put some pressure into the race, and the two leaders waged a great battle for all of the last 600m.
Prince Ruban, if anything, got a slender advantage over his rivals with about 100m to runs, but Seven Secrets fought back strongly under Nicholls’ urgings to take the spoils. Redsnap, at any old odds, was a length back third along the inner.
Article courtesy of Andrew O’Toole