2018 DARWIN CUP CARNIVAL – WINNO'S FINAL WRAP
By Darren Winningham | Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Well the Darwin Turf Club Carnival is done and dusted for another year.
What an event! What an atmosphere!
Massive crowds across all eight days – they have reported over 40,000 people through the gates for the six weeks and eight days of racing in what is dubbed “The Carnival of Colour."
As usual WINNO has tried to spread himself across all the events – the races and the personalities for the three days in which he was here.
It was a tough gig, but someone must do it!
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Let’s start with the performances from trainers, jockeys and horses that must get a mention.
Wednesday – Corporate Park Cup Day
What a training and riding performance from the dynamic Darwin duo of Vanessa Arnott and trainer Jason Manning. They had four runners on the seven-race program and managed to win three races. They succeeded to leave the bookmakers reeling with them all of them being well backed.
Then the feature race was taken out by Neil Dyer from Kyneton and Jarrod Todd with Pot Black. After the race WINNO caught up with trainer Neil Dyer, “this is the only feature race that I have not won in Darwin – we have finally done it!” This team then backed up and won again on Darwin Cup Day just five days later.
Saturday – the traditional Bet 365 Palmerston Sprint Day.
Captain Punch trained by Gary Clarke and ridden by Brendon Davis does what he his name says and delivers a knock-out blow to his opposition winning the feature Sprint on the program in a dominating performance when leading all the way and giving nothing else a chance in the race.
The time was 1.08.06 just half a second outside of the track record … and what about the winning margin! 7 ¼ lengths – now that is dominance!
Monday – Darwin Cup Day.
There were massive plunges on several runners – most of them missed the mark! The bookmakers must have been relieved! But I must mention the riding performance of Jarrod Todd who rode a winning treble in races 5, 6 and 8. His rides on all three winners were amazing and he does ride this track well.
Felicia Bergstrand also managed a winning double on Cup Day in races 4 and 6. She had been unlucky on the previous two days, but she showed that she is a great rider winning aboard these two runners that were not really fancied in the markets.
Jamie Lee Kah was in Darwin for the last two days of the Carnival on Palmerston Sprint Day and Darwin Cup Day. Despite having not luck on Saturday she was determined to post her first win on the Darwin track! She finally cracked a win in race three on Cup Day on the Angela Forster trained Riviera Romance who was sensationally backed from $3 into a $1.70 favourite.
WINNO spoke to her after the race saying, “you were under some pressure there Jamie – an odds-on favourite and they came at you in the straight.” Jamie smiled and said, “well it is just great to get my first winner here in the Darwin track. Angela has trained this mare well and I have run a few close seconds over the past few days. Today we wanted to be on pace – she has plenty of gate speed – we had a lovely run and she just started to pull up a little bit late."
I just had to ask is it a thrill to get your first win in Darwin – she said, “it is – but more of a relief.”
Jamie later stepped out in the Darwin Cup aboard the Michael Hickmott trained Lieder who was again sensationally backed to start favourite displacing the early favourite and eventual winner Zahspeed. The six-year-old Street Cry was not disgraced finishing a gallant second in the Darwin Cup for 2018.
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Not since 2004 has the Palmerston Sprint and Darwin Cup double been completed by the same trainer and jockey combination. In 2018 some fourteen years later it was replicated with Captain Punch winning the Bet 365 Palmerston Sprint on Saturday and then Zahspeed winning the Carlton Mid Darwin Cup for winning trainer Gary Clarke and winning jockey Brendon Davis who were successful in writing history in 2018.
It was a special win for jockey Brendon Davis who explained to WINNO after the Cup, “this is my first win in both races. I have never ever won either race on my home track – it is special to win them both in the one year. Prior to this I have always been out of luck – picked the wrong horse and pulled the wrong reign. Last year Captain Punch ran second in the Palmerston Sprint and I have been out of luck with all my other rides in these feature events.”
I went on to probe him about the rumours all week that there would be pressure placed on Zahspeed in the race as his mount in the Cup likes to bowl along in front – and going out of the straight and entering the side of the track they seemed to place pressure on him.
“I got a bit worried for a while,” Brendon admitted, “but I knew I was on the best horse in the race and I knew that he was trained to perfection for this day. They tried but they were just not good enough. They all had their chance to run me down, but my horse was too strong to the line and held them all.”
Finally, I asked Brendon what is it like riding the feature double in Darwin in 2018? Still grinning with the glow of his exceptional achievement he said, “It was good to ride the winners for the boss (Gary Clarke) and wonderful to get the opportunity and get the job done for them.”
I had to add, “let you know mate that Greg Irvine from Magic Millions and I were watching our phone Apps and suddenly $4.80 was on offer about Zahspeed – so we just had to have some more money on it!”
There was a roar of laughter but then we all said that is enough and we had better make our way to the presentation area!
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I managed to catch up with Gary Clarke on both days after the feature races.
He was extremely happy with the run on Captain Punch in the Palmerston Sprint.
I said to him that he really put the writing on the wall last year when he ran second when beaten by Niccoco. “WiNNO we sat down after that defeat and mapped out this plan for 2018 so he would peak today. We were always confident it has been a 12-month work in progress and everything has gone great and we won the race.”
I asked Gary about the knockers who said he could not run 1200 metres and he was quick to respond, “they are all kidding look - at his run in the race last year and he has won over the 1200 metres here and nearly broke the track record. I don’t know what they were going on about."
On Cup Day he was jubilant after winning his feature staying race of the Carnival - the Darwin Cup with Zahspeed.
You must remember that Gary’s stable is full of family and hard workers with his wife Sheree being an integral part of the team in getting the horses fit and to the track. He was so humble in his trophy acceptance speech on Cup Day acknowledging everyone in his stable and then saying, “my name is just in the book – it is a team effort."
The jubilant scenes after the Cup win were special – a wonderful family, a brilliant team – and so many congratulatory shakes of the hand and pats on the back from his training and jockey peers demonstrated a respect for the Clarke Stables.
I asked him what it meant to his stable to win the feature races of the Darwin Carnival?
He said, “It is probably as good as it gets here, they are two very hard races to win let alone in the same year. We set these horses for these races – and it has paid off. Zahspeed was purchased in November/December and set for this race and we have achieved a great result!."
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Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, the Honourable Michael Gunner, made time to catch up with WINNO in an HRO exclusive!
The Chief Minister is passionate about the horse racing industry and the local participants singling them out on for praise for the efforts they put in week in and week out in the Territory and what those efforts, which are highlighted by the Darwin Turf Club Racing Carnival, means to the economy and tourism of the region.
WINNO asked the Chief Minister to sum up what it all means to the Northern Territorians and his State?
“It is very special the Carnival,” answered the Chief Minister. “It is us showing ourselves to the rest of Australia at our best. I think that there is lots of vibrancy and lots of colour. It is probably the best weekend of the year to come to Darwin. It is a real highlight of the whole calendar of racing … and, of course, there is much more to it than that."
He went onto explain to WINNO the highlights of the Northern Territory that we are all missing out on.
“Look, if you are into your racing – it is a great time at the track, but Litchfield Park, Kakadu and the Tiwi Islands are places that you must see – but just being here with this wonderful weather – you should just be here!”
I asked the Chief Minister as I am from Brisbane (where it is freezing this time of the year) did he have a message for the Queenslanders? He laughed and responded with, “You are mad not come up to Darwin. What are you doing down there? Your winter is our summer! What are you doing down south?”
It is clear choice people – with State of Origin over, the Queensland Racing Carnival finished and not much happening in South East Queensland – you should all book your accommodation and flights now for 2019 and head to Darwin to experience the wonderful weather, the racing and the beautiful landscapes and natural glory this wonderful Territory has to offer!
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The Chairman of the Darwin Turf Club is Mr Brett Dixon. I was fortunate to be introduced to him at the track on Wednesday for my first meeting I attended over the 2018 Carnival.
I caught up with him after the last race to get his views of the 2018 Darwin Cup Carnival.
“WINNO it has been absolutely fantastic, supported by the locals and visitors alike. The Cup Ball on Saturday night was first class again and with so many visitors continuing to come to the Carnival from all around Australia each and every year.– it just keeps getting better and better."
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The Chief Executive Officer is Keith Stacy. I met him last year and he came out with the pearler one liner that rings in my ears “Where else would you want to spend Winter?"
This year he started with “It is on @ Fannie Bay.”
That signalled that his amazing staff were ready for the big two days of racing – Saturday Palmerston Sprint Day and off course the first Monday in August Darwin Cup Day. The small team of staff and the Turf Club have must be commended for the work that they do to get the track ready, the marquees in place and then the logistics like food, merchandise, security and the little things like parking and travel to and from the track. It is executed with military precision.
The staff in the Darwin Turf Club office are supportive and helpful over the Carnival and make you feel so welcome – as if you are one of their team. I must commend Keith and his staff for the assistance they provided me over the Carnival. It is most appreciated!
As usual I could not leave the track without catching up with the man who leads this effective team and asking him about the 2018 Carnival. It has become a WINNO tradition now to find him just before the running of the Cup each year and ask him a couple of questions.
“Darren it has been a fantastic Carnival. Outstanding and a fantastic crowd today and for the entire Carnival in a very hard economy at the moment. We are particularly appreciative of the support of the southerners and the interstate people that come here for the Darwin Cup Carnival every year! Their support is invaluable to the Club and the Territory”.
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Fashions on the Field 2018 – Olivia Campbell.
As you all know I am not that trendy or up to date with fashions – and WINNO is not a label man like some others in racing (I won’t single those people out – or will I? People like Billy Healey, Ross Stevenson and Trent Edmonds who wear their label clothes and designer sunglasses – they do always look professional and bring a degree of etiquette to the race course).
Armed with the lack of knowledge – here I am again in 2018 faced with the winner of the Carnival of Colours Fashions on the Field winner Olivia Campbell.
I started with the humble question “How are you feeling right now?” (It seemed a good place to start!)
Olivia was beaming with joy and she said, “I am actually quite shocked as I wasn’t expecting this.”
So now to get into the nitty gritty – well it is fashions after all! “Can you tell me about the outfit that you are wearing today please Olivia?”
She looks at me, smiles and responds: “I got this dress in Edinburgh in South Australia and I loved it straight away – it is really very special. I then got Helen Rose Millinery to make this special paper crown. It is origami – each piece of it is hand folded and she was able to tie it into the colours of my dress."
I could not believe the detail of her headwear – it was stunning and to see the detail that had gone into it. It must have taken many hours of hard work – just look at the photo and make up your own mind!
She went on to explain: “The crown is so special for me to wear at the moment – I am so proud of it as well!”
Her wonderful red shoes were from Stomp (in Darwin) and her hand bag accessory from Mia Melama and her makeup was provided by Jamie at My Glow (in Darwin).
I thought with such an awesome stunning outfit that Olivia was a veteran of Fashions on the Field competitions. She surprised me when she said, “This is actually the first time I have entered anything like this. It has been so much fun – you would not believe it – but it actually is!”
I thought with such detail to her outfit it must have been a massive project to get ready to debut at the Darwin Cup and enter for the first time. She said, “I actually did not spend too much time on my outfit to be honest. I just loved the dress, and everything just fell into place. The dress is the feature of the outfit. I saw it and just didn’t hesitate and just grabbed it which is usually not like me.”
Well she won people from an amazing array of competitors fighting to reign supreme in the competition and, in what could be described as a tight battle, came out on top and is now off to represent the Territory in Melbourne over the Cup Fashions on the Field in November.
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Despite all the horse racing there was time for some fun away from the track.
On Sunday the traditional Darwin Cup Calcutta was held in the Darwin Mall as the Darwin RSL has been recently destroyed by a fire.
The atmosphere was not as good as last year but there was plenty of money and interest in the Calcutta. The final pool reached $61,400 – with the winner getting $36,840, second $12,280, third $12,280 and the RSL as the nominated charity received $6,140.
The bidding was fast and furious. Some of the top ones that were bid on were Zahspeed who went for $17,000, Turf Man $9,000, Lieder $7,500 and Folk Tales for $7,000.
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I managed to get to Crocodylus Park on the outskirts of Darwin and see some crocodiles and some other wild life.
This place was amazing, and it was great to see how the park manage the animals and care for them in such a wonderful clean environment.
The tour on the river and seeing crocodiles jump out of the water was awesome. I thought that this was not possible, but our guide managed to explain that they use their tails to power themselves out of the water to leap into the air to grab the food off the sticks that have bait on them.
The tremendous thing that I could not come to terms with was that massive snapping noise that you hear as they snap at the food that is on offer – more than 3 tonnes of power crushing their prey and then devouring it.
There was one thing for sure the hotel pool was the only place I was swimming at!
I managed to catch up with some monkeys as well – my guide was Kiley Lenehan.
I must commend her on her knowledge and passion for the animals that she cares for. They were like family to her and despite some recent bad luck with a loss in the family the little fellas were glad to hook into lunch whilst climbing all over you and very inquisitive about my Canon cameras.
Maybe they are just media celebrities and wish to be seen on social media or the internet!
The park is great, and I can honestly recommend that you take a visit to experience the variety of animals that they have on display – AND you must just take the time for a one on one experience with some of the animals they have. Seriously, pay the extra few dollars and get an opportunity of a lifetime!
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I managed to catch up with ex-Queensland jockey Sairyn Fawke who was in Darwin for the Carnival for 60 seconds with WINNO – stay tuned for this one. He has a little bit to say on several new topics in a new and revitalised 60 second interview.
Unfortunately, he ran the wrath of the stewards on Wednesday and was issued a suspension that precluded him from riding the John Hickmott trained Turf Man in the Darwin Cup. But he assures me he will be back next year looking to win a feature race at the Darwin Carnival!
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Finally – a big thanks to Con Searle for allowing me to stay with him and his team over the Carnival.
He is a kind-hearted man and I appreciate his kind gesture of allowing me to stay with the team.
Well he stayed in the penthouse on floor 25 and we stayed on floor 14.
Just for the record – I will come clean. Some lifts are express, and some are all stops – and you do not want to be on an all stops one when you are busting to go to the toilet and some mongrel has pressed all the buttons between floors 15 to 25!
I think Con's phone call went something like “you %^$# ^%%&” – and suffice to say Con stood in front of the control panel for every other journey we took in the lifts for the rest of the trip!
Again – stay tuned for 60 seconds with WINNO. We will be able to find out more about Mr Conway Searle in the coming weeks!
Oh, and yes WINNO has been in form I managed to claim him in Darwin on his feature double – Pot Black into Zahspeed – that is three this year!
Would you believe that I was on the only collect as well on all the doubles who wrote on Cup Day!
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