Todd’s presence has NT rivals looking over their shoulder

JARROD Todd is a familiar name among Australia’s horseracing fraternity.

In the Top End this year the Victorian hoop has been a name to strike fear in rivals.

After a successful campaign in the Northern Territory earlier in the year, capping it off with a classy victory on board the Neil Dyer-trained Royal Request in the Darwin Cup, Todd headed back to Dyer’s Kyneton base in Victoria.

He continued riding runners like Pot Black and more importantly Royal Request, who had been shuttled back for the spring to run in races such as the $120,000 Racing.com VOBIS Gold Bullion over 1400m at Pakenham.

“Unfortunately, the horse refused to load and was scratched at the gates,” Todd said.

Todd is back in the NT to ride in Alice Springs today despite Dyer’s move south.

He resumes at Pioneer Park with a full book of six rides for multiple trainers. Of those rides, two stand out as definite chances.

In Race 2, the XXXX Gold Handicap (1200m), Todd climbs aboard Wingard’s Mark, a last start winner first up in the Red Centre and one of the two Greg Connor trained runners in the race.

In the fourth on the card, Todd rides the Lisa Whittle trained runner Shining Mane in the Ladbrokes Handicap Division 2 (1100m).

Another local horse due for a win, Shining Mane has drawn barrier one, but once again, the big threat comes from stablemate and the inform Magnus Bay.

Todd is making a lightning visit to Pioneer Park before making it a longer stay in May.

“In 2018 I will return to Alice Springs for the carnival period for an extended stay, then head to Darwin once again for their carnival,’’ he said.

“All of which I hope to be another successful year in the NT.”

Another great day of racing in the Red Centre brings down the curtain on the 2017 racing year in Alice Springs. The action kicks off at 2.41pm with the first race.