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Darwin Turf Club is expecting more than 120 visiting and interstate horses to converge on Fannie Bay for this year’s Darwin Cup carnival.
Photo by Racing and Sports
“This year is going to be one of our biggest ever in terms of the sheer quantity of horses,” said DTC chief executive Philip Neck.
“Our visiting numbers are going to be up by at least 35. Add that the large contingent of locals and there will be in excess of 300 horses here for the carnival.”
Neck said the DTC had completed improvement to cater for the record numbers.
“To accommodate the influx of horses we have constructed a bitumen road adjacent the stables to cut down dust and ensure easier access,” Neck said.
“The club has also completed an upgrade of the trackside mounting yard including a new equine safety surface made up of interlocking rubber pavers which also cut down dust and noise that puts our facilities on par with southern states,” he said.
Alice Springs Cup winner The Ruffian is among the first visiting horses to arrive in the lead up to Darwin’s premier sporting and social event on August 5.
The Ruffian won the Darwin Guineas and NT Derby in 2011 as a three-year old but wasn’t able to back up that form at last year’s carnival, his best efforts in four starts being two second placings.
The Ruffian is trained by NT racing legend Sheila “Essie” Arnold, who trained out of Alice Springs for many years before relocating to Geelong in Victoria.
Arnold and jockey Dom Tourneur entrenched themselves in Alice Springs Cup folklore when The Ruffian won the race at his latest start on May 6.
It was Arnold’s seventh Alice Cup win and gave Adelaide based Tourneur his sixth win in eight years.
