Money in the bank

Tue, September 07 2010

BANKERS Lamp showed he is a star of the future with a dominant nine-lenght win in the Carlton Mid 0-69 Handicap (1200m) at Fannie Bay.

After being stoked up early, Bankers Lamp found the lead and broke their hearts by upping the ante during the middle sections, allowing jockey Paul Shiers to ease up in straight and record an hugely impressive victory ahead of Jorston and Yuki.

"The middle section was really dominant, it takes him 150m to find his action, get his stride, but once he balances he really coasts," Shiers said.

"From the 700 to the 400 I was flat out holding him any slower, he was just within himself, galloping beautifully.

"When he puts them away like that he doesn't have to run his last 200 in any exceptional time to get away with it."

The former Victorian was having just his third Top End start and trainer Gary Clarke could not have been happier with the performance of the $1.80 favourite, while Shiers is confident he'll come back even better next time in. "It's only his third start here for his third win, so I'm sure Gary will take him through his grades," Shiers said.

"He'll probably have a little break now and we'll get him back, hopefully to take on some bigger fish in the next carnival."

The win was the first of a running double for the Clarke-Shiers combination, who also joined forces with Phantom Verde ($5) to take out the day's feature, the $12,500 Darwin City Council Benchmark 73 Handicap (1100m).

The in-form galloper settled towards the tail of the field before Shiers found a passage along the rails, finishing strongly to defeat Little Raptor and Kiwi Jim.

Hard riding from leading hoop Scott Hillebrand prevailed on Tennyson ($3) in the second race winning a duel down the straight with former SA galloper Messi Magic, who was making his Territory debut for Alwyn Trengrove.

In the other races on the card, the Jason Manning-trained Royal Steal ($17) was too good for Hannesburg, while Gloria ($4.40), from the Lynne Williams stable, claimed the opening event.

Story Courtesy Tom Biddington - NT News