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Find your Sport Nation frequencyAndrew O’Toole’s Saturday best bets at Darwin (16/07)
Andrew O’Toole • July 16th, 2025 12:30 pm
The first of the Wednesday Carnival fixtures takes place today with the ever-popular Rydges Palmerston Ladies’ Day bringing together not only the fillies on the track, but also off it. Ladies’ Day is one of, if not the, most traditional of the Carnival racedays, when the women of Darwin and farther afield come out in their finery to enjoy a day of racing action, champagne and camaraderie. Unfortunately, the schools of the Top End returned after a three-week break yesterday, meaning that a raft of teachers and mothers will be unable to attend Fannie Bay for the festivities. Nevertheless, the buzz around Darwin at present points to a bumper crowd for Day 3 of the Great Northern Darwin Cup Carnival.
Ladies’ Day, being sponsored for the first time by Rydges Palmerston, has two feature events to whet the appetite – the $50,000 Palmerston Rydges Cup (1600m), which affords the winner ballot exemption into the TAB Metric Mile on 26 July, and the $35,500 Fusion Exhibitions Rosebowl (1300m) for the fillies and mares. Both events have attracted capacity 12-horse line-ups, with two emergencies in each event.
The Palmerston Rydges Cup brings together some tried and true older gallopers with some younger promising types, and I am keen on one of the latter, Stormfront, to continue his excellent form in Darwin. The 4yo son of Frosted, trained these days by Gold Coast mentor Peter Robl, who took over the preparation of the gelding from Clinton McDonald in Victoria just two starts ago, has done very little wrong in those two starts. The attractive grey finished a fast-closing second first-up in the Top End behind Galaxy General over 1300m on 21 June before an impressive success over this trip of 1600m on 5 July. On that occasion, he tracked the leader Pink Panther on the fence and was able to make his challenge early in the home straight before clearing out for a 2.5 length win, hard held.
He looks to have plenty of improvement and obviously the trip will be to his liking – he has had just the one start for that last-start win over the distance. He has a decent weight to carry – 58.5kg – but is a strongly-made customer and apprentice Jade Hampson seems to get on well with him. He has drawn a middle gate of six and gives the impression that he can be ridden anywhere in a field. Provided he performs as expected today, he could well find himself in a Darwin Cup in just under three weeks’ time, although as a young horse who will be having just his 12th start today, Robl may well elect to wait until next year.
Magic Defense, from Alice Springs, is also a 4yo but is a mare who has performed with great credit in her 17-start career to date. Nowadays trained by Kerry Petrick, Magic Defense has had four wins, three second and a fifth from eight starts since relocating to the NT from Victoria, where she was trained by Jerome Hunter. She has seemingly grown another leg on the sand and oil-based surfaces of the Territory, and her last effort, her first in the Top End, was a fine second to Great Buy in the second edition of the ROANT Gold Cup. If she reproduces something similar, she will be right in the finish.
Pink Panther, one of five in the event from the powerful Gary Clarke stable (although Global Wonder needs a scratching as first emergency) has been racing consistently this campaign and getting up to 1600m is his go. His last-start second to Stormfront, after leading, was very good, and he promises to be prominent for a long way again. Jarrod Todd, who has surprisingly gone winless on the first two days of the Carnival, takes the mount.
Another Clarke runner, Siakam, has chased home Cinque Torri at his last two starts, finishing fourth then third to the former Bjorn Baker galloper, and he can never be discounted in a race of this nature. He has drawn awkwardly, however, but it seems likely that rider Kristo Sardelic will push forward from the start in an attempt to take up a forward position.
Tannenburg, a stablemate of both Pink Panther and Siakam, was impressive winning last start over 1300m on 5 July, and is a previous winner at this trip. He is another with definite claims, and rider Adam Nicholls has been in good form so far during the Carnival.
The chances don’t end there, with topweight Atlantic Ocean, former Metric Mile winner He’s The Ultimate, last year’s winner of this race Hettinger and promising Crown Waters, the St Pat’s Cup winner earlier this year, all engaged and in good form. It really promises to be an intriguing first running of the Rydges Palmerston Cup.
The Fusion Exhibitions Rosebowl appears a fairly even contest on paper, with Juice Box, who won the lead-up to this event a fortnight ago, and last year’s winner Lucky Fortuna perhaps the two leading prospects. That said, 3yo filly Rossanado has plenty of ability and couldn’t have been more impressive when winning her maiden here on 28 June. Her trainer/rider Paul Shiers would not be stepping her out in this if he didn’t think she would do herself credit.
Others with a hope include Princess Pancakes, Zoumist, Hell Fire Miss, Starlite Rebel and Rebellious Hope, while Tilussion, if she gains a start from first emergency, could also give this a shake.
The weather in the Top End, as usual at this time of the year, has continued to be perfect, with lovely days and cooler nights and mornings. There is always the possibility of a little higher humidity when some scattered cloud appears, but it is nothing to be concerned about. The official forecast for today reads: Mostly sunny. Light winds. The temperature is forecast to reach 30 degrees during the day, and 18 overnight, while there is just a 5% chance of any rainfall.
The first race on the six-race card gets underway at 2.09pm (NT time), which is 2.39pm 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
R2 # 3 TELLEZJust beaten at his first Top End outing when a nose second to Down The Wicket over this trip of 1100m on 14 June. Then drew badly and never on the track before finishing a game fourth, beaten four lengths behind Limited Risk over 1200m on 28 June. Has a decent barrier this time and back to the 1100m should suit the son of Harry Angel. Decent field but can make his presence felt.
R5 # 1 GROUNDRUSHFifth and sixth in only two starts here over distances shorter than he likes, however, the step-up to 1600m appears more up his alley. Has yet to win over the trip but has been placed twice from four outings, and the winner of two of his 17 starts and six times placed should get his chance in this class 2 event. Jarrod Todd takes the mount for Ella Clarke, and it will be a major surprise if he doesn’t go close to winning.
R6 # 8 STORMFRONTMade a sizeable impression when bolting in here last time over this distance of 1600m in Benchmark 70 company on 5 July. That followed a fast-closing second over 1300m behind Galaxy General on 21 June. Lightly-raced and well-performed, he looks to have plenty of upside and Jade Hampson, who has been aboard at both Darwin starts, retains the mount. Can continue the good early-Carnival run being experienced by his trainer Peter Robl.
SELECTIONS
FANNIE BAY RACECOURSE (DARWIN) – GOODRACE 1 – 4, 3, 1, 6RACE 2 – 3, 7, 8, 1RACE 3 – 3, 4, 10, 5RACE 4 – 3, 8, 12, 1RACE 5 – 1, 2, 5, 4RACE 6 – 8, 9, 7, 2
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