Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best bets at Darwin (02/08)
Andrew O’Toole • August 2nd, 2025 12:30 pm
The Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival final weekend kicks off today with Day 7, bet365 Palmerston Sprint Day, and a seven-race card has been assembled for the fixture. It is an earlier start than normal – 12.31pm – with the Palmerston, the last of the day, set to go at 4.02pm. This early start and finish allows those who are attending the Darwin Turf Club Gala Ball this evening to “get their glad rags on” following the races and make their way to the ball at the Casino.
The $135,000 bet365 Palmerston Sprint is the NT’s premier short-course event, contested over 1200m each year on the Saturday preceding Monday’s Cup Day. This year’s field of 13, including emergency Pompeii Empire (Kym Healy), features no less than six horses (or half the field) trained by 13-time premiership-winning trainer Gary Clarke, who has won this event no less than five times. This year he will be represented by Rising Sphere, Boldinho, Flying Annie, Lumber Punk, Pharoah Magic and Field Of Flutes, while Chris Nash will be double-handed with veteran Ideas Man and Hello World. Jason Manning will saddle up Bon’s Pride, while the field is completed by Peter Robl’s Zourata, two-time Palmerston winner Early Crow, and Vinnie’s Spirit, from the Terry Gillett stable.
Gillett did not accept with his Pioneer Sprint winner Dakota Lee, as the mare had not recovered sufficiently from a foot abscess, which robs the event of its potential headliner. Nevertheless, there are a myriad of chances in the feature, but I have settled on topweight Ideas Man to complete a fairytale victory in the event.
The just turned 8yo son of Brazen Beau and Innovation Girl has been a great money-spinner for his connections, and the winner of 10 of his 45 career starts has two major components in his favour as he contests the Palmerston for the fourth time. He finished second to Early Crow two years ago after looking the likely winner at the 150m mark, then was third behind the same horse and Lumber Punk 12 months ago.
This year, however, he gets in on a luxury weight for him – 58kg – and will have the services of Noel Callow, who has just returned to race riding following an enforced layoff. Ideas Man carried the steadier of 61kg 12 months ago, and a drop of 3kg, due to the fact that Dakota Lee was entered and weighted in the event, should give him every chance to gain an elusive victory in the race. Callow, who showed his class when riding here last Carnival, will give him every chance from barrier four, and looking at the likely map of the race, he could either lead or sit in the box seat, depending on the start.
His latest form has been acceptable – he has had three runs to fit him for today’s big one, finishing third to Rising Sphere on 7 June, fourth to Flying Annie (21 June) and then a good third behind Lumber Punk on 19 July. He will also have the addition of blinkers which he has worn for his last two Palmerston placed efforts. Nash knows what it takes to train the Palmerston winner too, having saddled up Mayameen for victory in 2021.
Ideas Man will have plenty of opposition, however, with Lumber Punk an obvious main danger. One of the Clarke sextet, and with Jarrod Todd aboard, he has won two of his last three starts and of course came second in this event 12 months ago. He has the inside gate too, which may not be the best gate for the son of Starspangledbanner as he has a tendency to be a little slow into stride. That said, it is always an advantage in the Palmerston to draw well, and he will no doubt give a great sight as he bids to give his trainer his sixth win in the race.
Nash’s second stringer, Hello World, has done very little wrong in two Top End starts to date, winning first up here on 5 July then a fast-closing third behind Pharoah Magic and Vinnie’s Spirit over 1100m a week ago. He is a lightly-raced son of Written Tycoon who with any luck in running from barrier ten, could give this a real shake.
Early Crow, bidding to become the first horse to win three straight Palmerstons, has been very good at his last two outings, for a third and a fourth, and you can rest assured he will be hitting the line with great gusto at the completion of the 1200m. He is a tough customer and Jason Lyon takes the mount for Dick Leech.
Rising Sphere has done little wrong in the lead-up but is probably better over a slightly shorter trip, while Boldinho looked really good when winning over this distance on 12 July but has the outside gate to overcome. Flying Annie dropped out after sharing the pace with Ideas Man last time, but her earlier form was first class, while Bon’s Pride deserves his place here and his last-start win over this trip, admittedly in lesser grade, was sound.
Zourata is very quick but has a bad draw to overcome, while Pharoah Magic has looked excellent in his most recent two winning efforts and is rock hard fit. Field Of Flutes has all the ability in the world but does not handle the kickback at all well – if he could jump and lead though, it could be a different story. Vinnie’s Spirit has not put a foot wrong in two placed efforts here since coming from the Red Centre, while Pompeii Empire will require a scratching to take his place.
The weather in the Top End this week has again been nice and fine, with some cloudy mornings preceding fine, but a little humid, days. The official forecast for today reads: Sunny. Winds southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h becoming light during the afternoon. The temperature is forecast to reach 32 degrees during the day, and 21 overnight, while there is a 10% chance of any rainfall.
The first race on the seven-race card gets underway at 12.31pm (NT time), which is 1.01pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 4.02pm (NT time), or 4.32pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R2 # 2 RISING FIREResumed from a spell with a fast-closing second behind Dummy Spit here on 26 July, and will be improved for the outing. Gets back in his races but possesses a good finish when he has his mind on the job. Won this race last year with a strong home straight finish and look for something similar again. Jason Lyon has a good rapport with the son of Headwater and the stable on fire.
R4 # 6 MR MARRAKECHHas bolted in at his last two races on 14 June and 16 July, and even though up in grade here for this 0-66 1200m, should take a power of beating again. Can be a bit of a trick at the start but Adam Nicholls has got him to jump at his most recent wins and even though drawn six of eight here, should be able to either lead or be right on the speed. Seems to have plenty of upside and will be a surprise if he has his colours lowered.
R6 # 3 LITTLE DITTYWon here two starts back and was also a winner of this very race last year at his first start in the Top End. Last-start fifth behind Luna Field was not bad and from the inside gate, with Dakota Gillett’s 1.5kg apprentice claim, he gets in nicely in this. Small field should allow him to dictate terms and can provide some small consolation for his trainer, Terry Gillett, for not being able to start Dakota Lee in the Palmerston.
SELECTIONS
FANNIE BAY RACECOURSE (DARWIN) – GOODRACE 1 – 5, 2, 6, 4RACE 2 – 2, 1, 6, 3RACE 3 – 1, 4, 11, 10RACE 4 – 6, 4, 8, 7RACE 5 – 1, 6, 5, 4RACE 6 – 3, 7, 6, 1RACE 7 – 1, 6, 11, 8
What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit. For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
