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SENTrack: Andrew O’Toole’s Friday best bets at Darwin (28/03)
Andrew O’Toole • March 27th, 2025 1:51 pm
The National Apprentice Race Series comes to Darwin today, with two heats for the young riders from around the country. Jabez Johnstone (Tasmania), Olivia Kendal (Queensland), Polly Brewster (South Australia) and Chanel Cooper (Western Australia) join with the Territory’s apprentices Hannah Le Blanc (an adoptee from Victoria), Jade Hampson and Lek Maloney to do battle in races three and five on the programme, which will be the third and fourth heats of the 10-heat series held around the country. South Australia got off to the perfect start by winning both heats in Hobart last Sunday, so they have a nice buffer early in the competition.
Before we have a look at the apprentice only races, the feature on the card is the Vale John Drake Handicap for the open sprinters over 1100m. It has attracted a field of six, with leading trainer Gary Clarke holding the aces with half of the field. However, I am leading towards the Chris Nash-trained Mr Have A Chat to give the Clarke trio all and more than they bargained for.
Mr Have A Chat, who has been in the Top End for about 12 months since relocating from South Australia, has been a model of consistency for his connections since, and the nine-race winner has amassed stakes since coming to Darwin of just over $100,000, a fine effort indeed. The son of I’m All The Talk is most adept at the sprinting trips of 1100m and 1200m, and although drawn out a little in barrier five, he is not one-dimensional and can take a sit rather than having to lead.
He was a narrow victor here last time out on 15 March when surviving a double protest to win his 0-70 event from Convincebility and Forms Of Fear, and although this appears harder on paper, he is in such good form that another bold showing is expected. Le Blanc, who has built up a good association with the 7yo, again has the mount and she will give him every chance.
The Clarke trio all have claims in an even line-up, with perhaps the returning Rising Sphere the best of them. The 11-race winner, who has not raced since early October, was a Darwin Cup Day winner in 2024 in the Montgomerie Lightning, and won again at the end of August before finishing down the track in fourth behind stablemate Doc O’Connor at his last run of the preparation. The 7yo son of Exosphere is a very talented performer on his day, and even with 60.5kg, he seems sure to run well in the hands of leading rider Jarrod Todd.
His stablemate Mr Cashman, normally such a reliable performer, let the side down last time when beating only one home on 21 February. It was a very hot day and he was lengths below his best, but it could pay to allow him another chance. The third of the Clarke trio is Siakam, who has been freshened since last racing on 25 January, and it would come as no surprise if he were to put in a bold showing. Star Magnum makes up the field for trainer Phil Cole and rider Wayne Davis, and he is certainly capable on his day.
In the first of the apprentice series races, Beatification, the mount of SA’s Polly Brewster, looks hard to beat judged on his last-start second to Two Times Twice, a rival again, on 7 March. He was only 0.2 lengths off the winner, who stormed home late, and from the inside gate the Tommy Logan-trained 5yo should prove hard to beat here.
The Stifmeister, with Jade Hampson in the saddle for Tayarn Halter, is another with a decent chance, having finished second to Straya Pride here three weeks ago. He tends to get back in his races but finishes strongly, and the barrier of three should see him right in the finish. Starspangledancer (Le Blanc) is something of an enigma but with a change of rider, she could well show her best form, while Two Times Twice (Cooper) must be included in multiples.
The second of the apprentice only races is the last, and He’s Essential, to be ridden by Hampson for Clarke, makes plenty of appeal. He was very good winning over 1600m last time and although back in trip to 1300m here, he has not raced for some weeks and should be able to handle the assignment. Stablemate Global Wonder (Johnstone) is hard to catch but if he gets away on terms with his rivals, he can finish stronger than most, while Raffalli (Kendal) and Marvelous Night (Le Blanc) are also capable of finishing in the money.
The weather in the Top End this week has been pretty unsettled, with decent rainfalls early in the week and more rain forecast towards the end of the week and on raceday. The official forecast for today reads: Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the late morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds becoming northerly 15 to 20 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the evening. The temperature is forecast to reach 31 degrees during the day, and 25 overnight, while 3-25mm of rain is forecast, with a 90% chance of rainfall. This was almost an identical forecast to the last time we raced in Darwin a fortnight ago – and we never got a drop!
The first race on the five-race card gets underway at the mid-afternoon time of 2.40pm (NT time), which is 4.10pm 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 # 2 BRUNO BRUNOCreated a good impression when winning on his Top End debut in maiden company over 1000m on 15 March. Steps up in distance and takes on one winner – Bollon – in this special conditions event which mixes maidens and 3yos, and this looks within his scope. He was strong through the line last time and the 1200m should not prove an impediment for the son of Hellbent. Can win again.
R2 # 1 BRAZEN BONThe son of Bon Aurum is flying in Darwin, with four starts to date for three wins and a second. Bolted in last time although inclined to do a bit wrong over 1100m in 0-64 grade, and although up to 0-70 class this time, looks the type to handle the step-up. Drawn the inside gate which might not be the advantage it normally is, but in this six-horse field, he can overcome any hurdles and looks set to keep his great form going.
R5 # 2 HE’S ESSENTIALCapped off two consistent efforts with a last-start win over 1600m in this grade on 21 February, and with five weeks between runs, looks well suited to this 1300m. A relative newcomer to the Top End, the 5yo son of I Am Invincible has plenty of upside and the 1.5kg claim for Jade Hampton brings him in very well for this assignment. Can make it two on the bounce in the last of the day.
SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – 2, 3, 1, 7RACE 2 – 1, 4, 2, 6RACE 3 – 2, 3, 9, 1RACE 4 – 3, 1, 5, 2RACE 5 – 2, 6, 4, 3
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