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Andrew O’Toole’s Friday best at Darwin (26/09)
SENTrack • September 26th, 2025 10:00 am
The first Friday meeting of the season in Darwin will be held today, and will be the first of three Fridays between now and Christmas. A competitive six-race card will be the order of the day, with the day’s opener, a Benchmark 76 1600m, being added to the programme a few weeks ago due to the number of higher-graded horses remaining in training in the Top End since the completion of the Darwin Cup Carnival in early August. A total of 39 horses have accepted for the fixture and all riders are declared.
The $23,400 bet365 Handicap kicks off the programme and three trainers will send out the field of six – Gary Clarke (3), Terry Gillett (2) and Peter Stennett (1). There are a number of chances in the 1600m but I am leaning the way of the Clarke-trained co-topweight Seguso to turn the tables on his last-race conqueror Vinnie’s Spirit.
Vinnie’s Spirit finished the stronger last time out over 1300m, downing Seguso by just 0.4 lengths in a busy finish on 6 September. On that occasion, Seguso, who won over this trip on Darwin Cup Day, carried 59kg, 1.5kg more than Vinnie’s Spirit, but this time they have the same 59kg to carry. Seguso has twice run at the trip for a first and a second, while Vinnie’s Spirit is twice a winner and once placed second from four starts at the trip. Adam Nicholls retains the ride on Seguso while Raymond Vigar does the same on Gillett’s Vinnie’s Spirit, and the pair promise to again be very prominent in the finish.
Clarke’s second stringer Awash went some good races during the recent Darwin Cup Carnival, and he chased home Vinnie’s Spirit and Seguso last time, only a half-length from the winner. He too has a good record at the trip – 11 starts, 2 wins, 5 seconds – and Jarrod Todd stays aboard for this assignment. He was second in the Palmerston Rydges Cup over the distance on 16 July, and then chased home Wolfburn and company in the Metric Mile on 26 July before finishing midfield in the Darwin Cup. He can give his two higher-weighted rivals plenty to worry about here.
Hennessy Lad is Clarke’s third representative, and he showed something like his best form last time out when third to The Men Went Home over 1600m in 0-66 company on Palmerston Sprint Day (2 August). That was just his second Darwin outing and he has been given plenty of time to get over that run, with almost eight weeks between starts. However, he is talented and a bold showing, with Jason Lyon in the saddle, would not surprise.
Kangaroo Court, a stablemate of Vinnie’s Spirit, was fifth behind that horse last time and only beaten 2.4 lengths. He also rates a chance, while last-start winner The Albion has a fine record of three wins and three seconds from seven 1600m starts and Peter Stennett’s 8yo has been known to cause an upset on occasions.
The TAB Handicap for the 0-70 performers over 1200m is perhaps the best race of the day, with eight runners down to contest the fourth event on the card.
Mr Marrakech has won his last three starts in good style, the most recent of them on 23 August over 1100m. His previous two efforts were over 1200m and 1300m, so he is a more than capable performer over the sprint trips. Nicholls has been aboard for each of those wins, and although drawn awkwardly in barrier seven, he possesses plenty of ability and promises to be very hard to beat as he chases his fourth straight win for the Clarke Racing team.
Struck Gold, prepared by Ella Clarke, who gave birth to a baby girl on Tuesday night, was an eye-catching third to Sunzou on 6 September and should be improved for that effort, his first in the Top End. With Nicholls required for Mr Marrakech, Sonja Logan takes the mount and the son of Castledale should be right in the finish.
Shakattak is dropping in grade here following a third behind the in-form Boldinho over this distance on 6 September, and on his best form, could prove very hard to beat, while topweight Convincebility, from the Tayarn Halter barn, was a narrowly-beaten second behind Sunzou three weeks ago and if in that form again, will be right in the finish as well. Raymond Vigar has the mount this time.
Brazen Bon, Crazy Brave, Global Wonder and Hell Fire Miss complete the line-up and it promises to be a fascinating contest in the second leg of the quaddie.
The weather in Darwin this week has been fine and warm, and the rain that came last Sunday has failed to materialise again since. The official forecast for today reads: Mostly sunny. Winds northeast to south easterly 15 to 20 km/h tending west to north westerly during the afternoon then becoming light during the evening. The temperature is forecast to reach a warm 35 degrees during the day, and it will be a sticky 25 overnight. There is just a 10% chance of any rainfall.
The first race on the five-race card gets underway at 2.25pm (NT time), which is 2.55pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 5.35pm (NT time), or 6.05pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R3 # 4 TIPSY TORONADOLightly-raced 5yo mare who made a decent impression on her first Top End start on 6 September. Was doing her best work late when third behind Villa Royale, a winner again since, over 1100m and the extra 100m this time will be to her liking. Purchased from the recent Magic Millions Darwin Tried Horse Sale, she should take plenty of beating here from the inside gate in the hands of trainer/rider Paul Shiers.
R5 # 1 MR NUNEZAnother from the Darwin edition of the tried horse sale held at the end of July, the son of All Too Hard has been gelded since last racing on 29 May and by all accounts has been working in good fashion. Jason Lyon makes the trek from south to team up with the Chloe Baxter-trained 4yo, who has had just the three career starts to date. Will give a good account of himself in his first outing in the Top End.
R6 # 1 PATRIOTIC KINGFormer 1100m track record holder who has been getting close to a win recently. Went hard and just collared late by the in-form Villa Royale last time out here three weeks ago, and the 1000m here, from a middle gate in this five-horse line-up, should give him every chance to return to winning form. Jarrod Todd takes the mount for Gary Clarke and will take plenty of running down in this short course assignment.
SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – 1, 2, 3, 4RACE 2 – 4, 3, 1, 6RACE 3 – 4, 1, 2, 3RACE 4 – 5, 3, 4, 1RACE 5 – 1, 7, 9, 3RACE 6 – 1, 4, 3, 2
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