Clarke collects hat-trick of Fannie Bay winners

Sun, September 18 2011

Gary Clarke had a day to remember at Fannie Bay yesterday, sending out a hat-trick of winners on the five-race card.

The Top End’s leading trainer this season – he took his tally to nine wins, one ahead of Stephen Brown with yesterdays efforts – got the ball rolling in the Fannie Bay Photographs Handicap, ridden by Brendon Davis, held out stablemate Seven Bridges by ¾ of a length.

The next race, the Valda Ioane Handicap, saw Davis and Clarke at it again with Zipit winning his first race in the Territory. The former Victorian-trained five-year-old raced handily throughout and claimed the pacemaker Happy Man early in the home straight.

He provide too strong over the concluding stages, winning by 1 ½ lengths from Meet Barney, who fought on well, with Nero Macchina third.

The Clarke hat-trick was brought up in the following race, the Melbourne Cup Racing at Fannie Bay Handicap when Dream Face again ran her rivals into the ground.

The most-improved horse in Darwin, Dream Face, scored her fourth successive win and gave her rider, Simone Montgomerie, an armchair ride. The apprentice has now won four races this season – all on Dream Face – and sits alongside Scott Hillebrand as the leading rider in the Top End.

Dream Face, as usual, went straight tot the front form the outset and never gave her rivals a look-in, winning by three lengths from Testagold, with top-weight Costlyev a game third.

Subo looked a horse with a future when winning the day's opener, the Tipperary Waters Marina Maiden.

Purchased by trainer Bob Richard out of the Darwin Turf Club Tried Horse Sale, Subo was slowly into stride but rider Colin Haddon didn't panic, allowing his mount to make ground under his own steam.

He was right behind the leaders on the home turn and once in the clear, quickened nicely to win by almost three lengths from Hamish Boy, with Fregosi running on into third.

The last, the Sky Racing Handicap, provided Stephen Brown with a quinella, although not in the order he nor the punters had expected.

Kingsford (Barry Huppatz), at odds of almost $41 on Tattsbet, stormed home late along the inner to nab his stablemate and favourite Reflex (Scott Hillebrand) to win by a half-head.

 Story courtesy of NT News, written by Andrew O'Toole