Woody makes winning return
HE’S OUR WOODY made a triumphant return to racing action after an enforced layoff with a clearcut win in the $20,500 Women in Thoroughbred Racing NT Handicap, the feature event at Fannie Bay yesterday.
David Bates’ six-year-old son of Widden Valley had not raced since late May when he incurred a three-month standdown after a bleeding attack.
The 2017 Palmerston Sprint placegetter has been carefully handled by his astute trainer and yesterday showed he had lost none of his ability.
Ridden by Paul Denton, He’s Our Woody had to do some work early to cross the Carl Spry-trained stablemates El Toranado and Brooklyn, but once he assumed control, the race was as good as over.
He careered away in the home straight to win by four lengths, with Brooklyn taking second just ahead of the fastfinishing Neuschwanstein.
He has now won five of his 16 starts, and with four seconds and four thirds, his earnings are now over $107,000.
Leading Top End trainer Gary Clarke combined with jockey Michelle Hagley for a race-to-race double courtesy of Kaptan Apollo and Meazza.
Kaptan Apollo regained his best form with an all-the-way win in the Gardens Park Golf Links Handicap.
Hagley sent the six-yearold son of Kaphero to the front from barrier five and he was never headed. Meazza, having his first start since July 7, showed his rivals a clean pair of heels in the Darwin Corporate Park Handicap.
The former Victorian was sent to Darwin for the threeyear-old Carnival features but only had the one start, finishing at the rear over 1600m on Day 1 of the Darwin Cup Carnival.
From the inside gate, Hagley had Meazza with the leaders throughout and he kicked clear on straightening and was never threatened.
Sabai Sabai, Kerry Petrick’s lightly-raced five-year-old, was back to her very best with a strong performance in the Asian United Food Service Handicap.
Petrick was forced to scratch Sabai Sabai a week ago with a minor leg issue, but there were no such problems yesterday. Sabai Sabai has now had three wins and two seconds from just 11 starts, and she looks capable of going through the grades in the coming months. Bob Richard had “one of those days” yesterday, winning the Ladbrokes Maiden Plate with Amigo Mio but also had two of his other runners, Borlung (in the same race) and Niccorossa in race four withdrawn at the start.