We are set for an enormous twelve-race program at Fannie Bay on Monday, culminating in the running of the 2020 Darwin Cup!
Racing on the NT dirt is always a highlight of this time of year, and another exciting and capacity field will step out in the feature race.
*All races previewed in AEST
Race 1 - 11am
Schillertin hasn’t been seen at the races since April, but she looks a capable type and can break her maiden on the first on Monday.
The three-year-old daughter of Artie Schiller raved fairly in four starts for Matty Williams in Victoria and will be on debut for Dick Leech this week.
2 Units Schillertin
Race 2 - 11:35am
Silver Melody has mixed her form a little recently, but she’ll have conditions to suit at Fannie Bay on Monday and is up to winning.
The Gary Clarke-trained mare failed to fire last time out, but she has also found form around some quality types – her second placing behind Another Bit two back reads well for something like this.
2 Units Silver Melody
Race 3 - 12:10pm
Belmont Day has returned two wins from as many starts this preparation and will take plenty of beating again on Monday after drawing barrier 1.
He harbours further improvement and probably wins, but he’s too short for me at $1.75 and I am happy to watch.
No Bet
Race 4 - 12:38pm
Call Me Legend has hit the ground running in the NT and looks the one to beat in Race 4 on Darwin Cup Day.
The son of More Than Ready has missed a place just once in five starts at Fannie Bay, recording a lovely win over the 1100m here and finishing fourth in the Ladbrokes Derby, most notably.
He is at peak fitness for this contest and is drawn to receive a lovely run in behind the early pace.
4 Units Call Me Legend
Race 5 - 1:23pm
The warhorse Java has returned some typically tough efforts this preparation, and I am happy to be with him in Race 5.
Once a Group 1 placegetter (4th, 2015 CF Orr Stakes), Java has continued to race well in tough conditions these last few seasons and won the Chief Minister’s Cup at Alice Springs most notably, this time in.
He’s rock-hard fit and I can’t find a reason why he won’t be in the finish again.
2 Units Java
Race 6 - 1:57pm
This is one of the more open contests on the 2020 Darwin Cup Day card and there is a case to be made for several, including Recording To Win.
Recording To Win has won two of her last four starts, both here at Darwin, and has found form around some good horses.
She is rock-hard fit for this assignment, has drawn ideally in barrier 5 and takes weight from some of her key rivals.
2 Units Recording To Win
Race 7 - 2:38pm
Spielberg faces a rise in the weights at Darwin on Monday, but he ground out a tough win on debut for Angela Forster and can continue his rise through the grades.
The Written Tycoon gelding was a decent performer for Henry Dwyer earlier this year, and ended his last Victorian prep with a win in BM64 company at Echuca.
Anything close to his best would put him into the finish of this race.
4 Units Spielberg
Race 8 - 3:13pm
Toorak Road could hardly have been more impressive last time out and will take a power of beating again on Monday.
The Toorak Toff gelding is yet to miss a place in five starts since transferring to the care of Chris Pollard, but his last-start effort suggested that he has found top gear, and the conditions of this race should suit him down to the ground.
He is my best bet on the Darwin Cup Day program.
5 Units Toorak Road
Race 9 - 3:52pm
Another Bit has returned two good efforts back from a spell, and he can record another win at Fannie Bay on Monday.
The Foxwedge gelding beat a handy field on debut for Gary Clarke and weas last seen finishing a length and a half fourth in a tougher race.
He is one of four for Clarke in this contest, but he is drawn to receive the run of the race and third-up, I think he’s the one to beat.
3 Units Another Bit
Race 10 - 4:34pm
The Palmerston Sprint is always an excellent contest and this year’s edition doesn’t look like being any exception.
I concede that the two toppies will be tough to beat, but they’re quite short in the market in my opinion, and I am instead going to take some of the value around High Cost ($10 at publish).
High Cost has been a model of consistency this time and won three races in succession here at Fannie Bay, before third behind The Captain here last time.
He meets that horse better at the weights and is another horse that is drawn to receive a lovely run.
1 Unit E/W High Cost
Race 11 - 5:20pm
Escondido hasn’t missed a place in five starts this preparation and will be hard to beat in the penultimate race on Darwin Cup Day.
The Snitzel gelding won each of his first three starts in dominant fashion, progressing to a credible third behind Autocratic in the Darwin Guineas before running second in the Ladbrokes Derby, last time out.
This is a drop in class from that race and he can return to winning form.
4 Units Escondido
Race 12 - 6pm
The Darwin Cup always draws an open field of middle-distance horses and we are set for a thrilling contest on Monday evening.
Former John O’Shea galloper Live And Free clearly needed the run when he debuted on the dirt for seventh in the Chief Minister’s Cup, but I have no doubt that he’ll enjoy improvement for that effort, and will relish getting out to the 2000m.
The Savabeel gelding has returned several typically good efforts this year, including a close-up second behind Amangiri in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Cup.
He is certainly up to the class and looks over the odds at his current price ($9 at publish).
2 Units E/W Live And Free
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