SENTrack: Andrew O’Toole’s Friday best bets at Darwin (29/11)

The first of two successive Friday meetings takes place at Fannie Bay today, and it is also the first of three meetings in consecutive weeks in the lead-up to Christmas. There are a number of festive functions coinciding with the racemeetings so Fannie Bay will be a busy place in the coming weeks.

A five-race card, with some 38 acceptors, awaits us today and while not large in size, the feature Sky Racing Handicap is chock full of quality gallopers. Bon’s Pride, who has compiled an impressive record since being purchased from last year’s Magic Millions Tried Horse Sale in Darwin, is arguably the most improved galloper in the NT, and he once again looks mighty hard to beat in the Average Benchmark (74) 1200m. He has an imposing overall record of 21 starts for six wins, seven seconds and a third, and since winning the inaugural Magic Millions Top End Classic on Darwin Cup Day, he has raced twice for a close-up second to Shakattak (a rival again) and a comprehensive victory, beating Siakam, over this trip on 26 October. Jason Manning has him ticking over beautifully and he looks very hard to beat here.

Leading trainer Gary Clarke has three of the five runners engaged, and Mr Cashman may well be the best of his trio. He resumed from an 11-month break with a fourth placing behind Bon’s Pride, beaten 3.5 lengths, on 26 October and then went one better when third to Kerioth and Mr Have A Chat over 1100m on 16 November. The 7yo, the winner of eight races, will jump from barrier one and has the services of Stan Tsaikos – he will give Bon’s Pride plenty of opposition.

Seguso, the second of the 12-time premiership-winning trainer’s string, is another racing in good heart, with a second to Siakam and a third behind Shakattak his two latest efforts since failing in the Palmerston Sprint on 3 August. Although he has yet to win a race in the Top End from his four starts, he has been placed three times and makes plenty of appeal here.

Shakattak, Clarke’s other runner in the event, has won three of his last four starts, and his most recent effort yielded a second placing behind Tubthumper over 1300m on Melbourne Cup Day. He is another highly promising 5yo and with Jarrod Todd aboard, he could easily make his presence felt.

The last of the quintet is Chris Nash’s stayer Son Of Bielski, who finished fifth in the Darwin Cup and won the St Pat’s Cup earlier this year. Nash has elected to keep him to the shorter trips this campaign, and his first-up effort on 16 November was certainly eye-catching, hitting the line solidly behind Kerioth and company over 1100m on 16 November. The extra 100m will assist his chances and if they go fast and he gets a crack at his rivals in the home straight, he has the strength and ability to finish over the top.

On what is a good little card of racing, Phil Cole, whose team has been in great form of late, looks to hold key chances with Rhesus (race 1), the resuming Miami Vice (race 4) and Tubthumper (race 5), while Manning has a second good prospect on the day with Motivated Miss, who resumes from a spell in the third, the bet365 Handicap over 1200m.

The weather in the Top End has been something of a mixture this week, with fine days interspersed with very heavy bursts of rain, which caused some flash flooding earlier in the week. As always at this time of the year, the humidity is high and there is plenty of heat in the sun. The official forecast for today reads: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds. The temperature is forecast to reach 33 degrees during the day, and 26 overnight, while a maximum of 6mm of rain is forecast, with a 60% chance of any precipitation.

The first race on the five-race card gets underway at 2.35pm (NT time), which is 4.05pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 5.09pm (NT time), or 6.39pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R1 # 3 RHESUS
Probably should have won when resuming from a spell here on 16 November. Hit the line well but just failed to catch Debating, going down by 0.4 lengths. Should have derived improvement from that outing, and the step-up in trip here from 1000m to 1200m will no doubt assist his chances. Raymond Vigar retains the mount and Phil Cole’s 4yo looks very hard to beat in the opener.

R2 # 2 BON’S PRIDE
Arguably the most in-form galloper in the Top End. Has had two starts since winning on Darwin Cup Day for a close-up second to Shakattak and an impressive victory, beating Siakam in quick time, on 26 October. Jason Manning’s son of Bon Aurum continues to go from strength to strength and rider Vanessa Arnott has a great association with the 5yo. Should again give a good account of himself.

R3 # 5 MOTIVATED MISS
First-up here since 17 July, but has a good fresh record and over this trip of 1200m. Talented mare who has been sparingly raced, and putting together a decent record. Drawn to either lead or sit very handy to the speed, and if she gets her own rules, it will take a good one to beat her. Even if she doesn’t lead, she appeals as the hardest to beat in this 0-64 line-up.

SELECTIONS

RACE 1 – 3, 4, 1, 2
RACE 2 – 2, 5, 1, 3
RACE 3 – 5, 6, 1, 2
RACE 4 – 2, 6, 3, 5
RACE 5 – 1, 3, 4, 2

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