Race Day 6th March 2019

Posted by TRNT

Date posted: 6 Mar 2019

HARD on the heels of multiple wins for Gary Clarke and Tayarn Halter at the most recent Darwin meeting on 23 February, it was Carl Spry’s turn yesterday to bag a double at Fannie Bay.

Spry, Darwin’s only trainer-jockey, was in winning form in that role when guiding Bon Aire to his second Darwin win in the Mrs Macs Handicap, while Kim Gladwin took the mount on Spry’s second winner, Ansinna, in the Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap.

Spry gave Bon Aire a lovely run third behind Looking For You and Son Of A Fling, and took a narrow gap between the pair on the point of the home turn. Son Of A Fling soon dropped away, and it was Looking For You who gave Bon Aire most opposition, eventually going down by a length and a-quarter.

Betley finished off well to take third ahead of French Tusson and Son Of A Fling, who was lame in the off-foreleg on pulling up.

Spry purchased Bon Aire for $10,250 from the tried horse sale at Alice Springs last May, and the son of Equiano now has a record of three wins from just 16 starts, with stakes of just over $45,000.

Ansinna, having just his third Top End start, scored his second career win from some 30 starts when finishing too strongly for favourite McIntyre, winning by a length and a-half.

Gladwin trailed the pacemakers in the five-horse field and stuck to the inside, and Ansinna showed a good turn of foot to win well. Further wins look in store for the son of Bel Esprit.

Meazza gained ballot exemption for the $40,000 Shenannigans St Patrick’s Day Cup on Saturday week, but the four-year-old is unlikely to take his place.

After Brendon Davis had guided Meazza to a six-and-a-quarter-length win in the Toxfree Handicap, trainer Gary Clarke said: “He’s only a little fella and I’m not sure he’s up to St Pat’s Cup class – he’ll win a lower grade mile though.

“He’s also better off with his races spaced, so I’d say the St Pat’s Cup is doubtful at this stage.”

Meazza led from the outset and although challenged approaching the home turn by Rosherville, found another gear in the straight, bolting home from the fast-finishing Mazzaro, with Rosherville third.

It was Davis’ first winner, at his second day’s riding, since fracturing his foot in a barrier mishap at Fannie Bay back on 1 December last year.

Secret Charge continued the outstanding run of form being experienced by the Tayarn Halter stable when upsetting the favourite Iron Lotus in the Magic Millions Handicap.

Iron Lotus shared the pace with Secret Charge’s stablemate Puzzled Princess to the home turn, and just when she had shaken off that challenge, Secret Charge and Vanessa Arnott emerged along the inner, getting the better of Iron Lotus by a half-neck.

Halter, who trained her first Top End treble at the last meeting at Fannie Bay on 23 February, has had a tremendous season to date, yesterday’s success her 14^th from just 66 runners.

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