Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Find your frequency hereAndrew O’Toole’s Saturday best bets at Darwin (23/08)
Andrew O’Toole • August 23rd, 2025 12:30 pm
Racing returns to Headquarters at Fannie Bay today for the first time since Great Northern Darwin Cup Day with the running of Melanie Tyndall Memorial Raceday. It is the racemeeting each year when the industry comes together to remember and celebrate the life of Melanie, who passed away in a racefall at Fannie Bay on 31 August 2019, almost six years ago.
With the first of two days of racing at Kununurra clashing with the Darwin fixture (and a number of Darwin-based trainers supporting and enjoying the country meeting in WA), the fields in the Top End are surprisingly good, with the 0-58 1300m being divided due to some 18 nominations. The feature Melanie Tyndall Memorial, a Benchmark 76 1000m, will be the fifth on the card and has attracted a tremendous eight-horse field, with no less than five runners having competed in the Palmerston Sprint on Day 7 of the Darwin Cup Carnival (2 August). Gary Clarke, who had six runners in the Palmerston, lines up four contenders here but I’m keen on the chances of Chris Nash’s Palmerston fourth placegetter Hello World.
Hello World, formerly trained by Will Clarken in South Australia, came to the Nash stable in June and has so far had three runs in Darwin for a first-up win over 1100m on 5 July, followed by a third on 26 July and a meritorious fourth, beaten less than two lengths, in the Palmerston won for the third successive time by Early Crow.
The son of Written Tycoon made up many lengths from the home turn in the feature sprint after drawing awkwardly and getting well back in running. Although this trip of 1000m may be on the short side for the 5yo, he is a quality sprinter and from his inside gate and with three weeks between runs, he could well take up a handy spot behind the speed and he will certainly be strong late. Sonja Logan, who has been aboard in each of Hello World’s Darwin starts, retains the ride and as a very close friend of the late Melanie Tyndall, she will be trying her hardest to win the race name in her honour for a second time.
The Clarke quartet will be the testing material for Hello World, and Boldinho, fifth in the Palmerston after coming from a long way back over the concluding stages, looks the best of them. Jarrod Todd will be having his first raceday ride on the son of Brazen Beau and from a better draw of five, he should be right there in the finish. His first-up Darwin victory on 12 July was very solid, and he rates highly here over a trip at which he has won twice and been placed on three occasions from just eight attempts.
Rising Sphere finished at the rear in the Palmerston after working hard in the run, and the drop back to 1000m will suit better. He has five wins at the trip from 15 attempts, and won the Montgomerie Lightning in 2024 over the same distance. His form prior to the Palmerston was first-class and even with 61.5kg, look to him to be very prominent for a long way.
Pharoah Magic and Field Of Flutes complete the Clarke team in the event and both make plenty of appeal, especially the former who weakened late to finish seventh in the Palmerston, beaten just 3.2 lengths. He has been a revelation this campaign with two wins and a second prior to his Cup weekend outing, and Adam Nicholls, who won on the son of American Pharoah three starts back, will be aboard again.
Field Of Flutes was another that competed in the Palmerston and after being trapped wide, weakened to finish 10th. He has been a bit of a disappointment after winning his first two Darwin starts, but there is no doubting his ability and with Jess Booth taking 3kg off his book weight of 58kg, he gets in well here and could make his presence felt from gate four.
Terry Gillett will be represented by Vinnie’s Spirit, who was a defection from the Palmerston but did run a slashing second on Cup Day behind Devils Delight in a 0-70 1200m. He has only had three Darwin runs after relocating with his trainer from the Red Centre, and has performed well on each occasion. He is another who will benefit from his rider Dakota Gillett’s apprentice claim.
Paul Shiers has the other two runners in the event, Crazy Brave and Damo Dayz, and while both were below their best last time out, they have ability and could easily improve and grab a dividend-bearing place. Crazy Brave was in good form in the early and middle stages of the Carnival, while Damo Dayz has yet to get on the board in the Top End but could be a live contender for your multiples.
The weather in Darwin this week has been nothing short of sensational, with coolish mornings giving way to brilliant, sunny days. The official forecast for today reads: Mostly sunny. Light winds becoming east to south easterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then shifting west to north westerly during the afternoon. The temperature is forecast to reach a warm 34 degrees during the day, and it will be 21 overnight. There is just a 5% chance of any rainfall (highly unlikely!).
The first race on the six-race card gets underway at 2.03pm (NT time), which is 2.33pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 5.10pm (NT time), or 5.40pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R4 # 4 MR MARRAKECHHas been in red hot form lately, winning at his last two starts in impressive fashion. Was meant to have a further outing on Darwin Cup weekend, but a float mishap on the way to the course put an end to that. Consequently, he has not had a start for five weeks but over this 1100m, he should be primed for a bold showing. With only three rivals, he looks very hard to catch with Adam Nicholls in the saddle for Gary Clarke.
R5 # 5 HELLO WORLDFinished off well from midfield to take fourth, beaten less than two lengths behind Early Crow, in the Palmerston Sprint on 2 August. Drawn to get a nice run in transit here and although this trip of 1000m is short of his best, he is a quality sprinter who with three weeks between runs, should race boldly. Good field assembled with no less than five Palmerston starters, but the Chris Nash-trained 5yo promises to give a good account of himself.
R6 # 5 TILUSSIONRaced well during the recent Darwin Cup Carnival, with four runs yielding a last-start win on Cup Day, a second and a third placing. Drawn to get a nice run from the inside draw and with Jason Lyon in the saddle for Chloe Baxter, the daughter of Russian Revolution should again be very competitive. Can send “The Grasshopper” home to Albury on a winning note.
SELECTIONS
FANNIE BAY RACECOURSE (DARWIN) – GOODRACE 1 – 3, 1, 2, 4RACE 2 – 5, 3, 1, 2RACE 3 – 1, 5, 7, 3RACE 4 – 4, 2, 1, 5RACE 5 – 5, 2, 1, 6RACE 6 – 5, 1, 2, 4
Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
