Dick Leech, Paul Shiers win 2023 Darwin Cup with Write Your Name

A stunning finish from Write Your Name has secured its trainer the Territory Cups double, while it was a first time win for its veteran jockey. Read how the race was run.

Nathaniel Chambers and Max Hatzoglou

8 min read

August 7, 2023 - 8:26PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Northern Territory

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It was an emotional finish to a thrilling day of racing with a long time jockey finally winning the $200,000 Darwin Cup to complete a 2023 Territory Cups double for a veteran trainer.

The Dick Leech-trained Write Your Name looked unbeatable as it burst out of the pack on the closing straight with jockey Paul Shiers aboard.

And the eight-year-old, which won the Alice Springs Cup earlier this year, was absolutely bolting away as it hit the finish beating Heather Lehmann’s Sanblas by three-and-a-half lengths.

The champion duo of Gary Clarke and Jarrod Todd, who won the big race in 2022, were also in the mix with Wolfburn placing third.

But the belonged to Write Your Name who had done its bit navigating out of an awkward early position to time its run to perfection late in the race.

Meanwhile, early favourite and Chief Minister’s Cup winner Noir De Rue, trained by Jason Manning, fell away as the race splintered finishing ninth.

There are few jockeys who can say they know the Darwin race track better than Shiers, but the Darwin Cup was one race which had eluded him.

Paul Shiers winner of Darwin Cup at the 2023 Darwin Cup. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

But at the age of 50 it was finally his term to salute the full house at the Darwin Turf Club now as a winner.

“It’s a relief more than anything, I’ve won everything else in the Territory so it’s nice to tick that one off,” he said.

“I thought we had gone too early, but the horse was full of run and takes a bit of lining up so it was better to get there too early than not.

“This one is going to take a little while to set in.”

Leech, however, was convinced the moment his runner hit the front it would be hard to beat and he was cheering as loud as anyone once it had secured the win.

Tayarn Halter and Dick Leech after winning the 2023 Darwin Cup. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

For him it completed a trifecta of big Territory races for Leech with his runner also winning the Alice Springs Cup, while Early Crow won the Palmerston Sprint on Saturday.

“I didn’t think he could get beat once he hit the front,” Leech said.

“I’ve had the old horse for a long while now and he’s the best I’ve ever seen. It’s absolutely beautiful for Shiersy to get this win.

“It’s been a great year, we had a great carnival in Alice and love taking our horses there, a lot of people don’t realise it’s 780ft higher than sea level and horses thrive there.”

And while Leech was ecstatic to get the win he also praised apprentice jockey Jade Hampson, noting the ride would have been hers had it not been for injury.

“It’s a pity she didn’t get to ride him, she rode him in the Alice Springs Cup and elsewhere then she got hurt,” he said.

“She’s a great kid, she’s really going places as a jockey and next year will be her turn, we just made sure to involve her in the celebrations.”

It finished a thrilling day of racing which also saw Ella Clarke, daughter of the champion trainer, train a horse to a win on Cup Day for the first time.

That came with Ironedge, an emergency for the big race, beating all comers to seal the Silks Darwin Handicap (2050m) with Alice Lindsay on board.

Jarrod Todd wins Simone Montgomerie Lightning Plate

The Gary Clarke trained Doc O’connor powered home to win the Simone Montgomerie Lightning Plate in recognition of the female jockey who tragically died 10 years ago from a race fall.

Jockey rider Jarrod Todd steered the horse to glory while Clarke also had Rising Sphere finish second in the race.

Clarke said it meant a lot to win the plate in honour of Montgomerie who sadly died riding one of the horses he trained.

“It’s huge,” Clarke said.

“Simone worked for us when she got killed and today is pretty much the 10 year anniversary of it so it meant a lot for us to win that particular race.”

With three horse running in the race, Clarke said he was pleased with any of them winning.

“It meant a lot to win the race with three nice sprinters in there.

“I didn't have a preference, as long as one of them got the coin and it worked.”

Brett Dixon, Simone Montgomerie’s now 15-year-old daughter Kodah, winning jockey Jarrod Todd and mother Lee-Anne. Picture: Max Hatzoglou

Montgomerie’s mother Lee-Anne said it was amazing that the race was living on and that she was still being recognised.

“The Darwin Turf club have been absolutely fantastic since day one, all the racing furternity, everyone just gets behind you and supports you.

“The racing industry is just a fantastic industry to be in, everyone is here for you.”

Everything you need to know about the Territory’s biggest sporting event

The Northern Territory’s biggest annual sporting event is here with the Darwin Cup promising a serious day filled with the best of racing, live entertainment and fashion.

There’s a full field of serious contenders for the big race from the Chief Minister’s Cup winning favourite Noir De Rue to three runners from the stable of champion trainer Gary Clarke.

Another of the favourites is the Shelia Arnold trained Lake’s Folly, who previously impressed for Michael Hickmott, who won three Darwin Cups during his NT tenure.

The six-year-old has improved across his Territory tenure adapting to the conditions after placing fourth in the Alice Springs Cup and winning in his most recent outing, the Buntine Handicap.

Darwin Cup hopeful Lake's Folly with Carnival ambassador Tannwyn Lewis ahead of the big day at the Darwin Turf Club. Picure: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

The race win earned him automatic selection into the Darwin Cup where with jockey Anthony Darmainn they go in among the favourites for the big race.

“The owners wanted him to run in the Cup and he’s improved across his five weeks up here,” Arnold said.

“He’s got used to the conditions which takes a little bit coming from grass in South Australia to the Red Centre to here and adjust to this climate which is quite hot.

“He’s done wonderfully, he’s got a wonderful temperament, we just love having him, he’s a lovely thoroughbred racehorse.”

Lake’s Folly is a stayer who runs at his best in the middle of the pack and builds into the race across the distance until it’s time to strike.

And it’s there Arnold expects him to be grinding away in the pack against a field full of talented runners.

“He likes to build into the race, he sort of moseys around in the middle of the pack and likes to get into a rhythm,” she said.

“He’s not a horse who stays behind and races at the end or leads, he just moseys around and hopefully he’s fit enough to do it.

“There are quite a lot of quality horses in this Cup, they’re all going to be hard to beat.”

Darwin Cup Carnival ambassador Tannwyn Lewis ahead of the big day at the Darwin Turf Club. Picure: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

And while all eyes will be on the main race when it’s in action there will be plenty going on throughout the rest of the day from centre field entertainment to the Fashions on the Field.

The best of Territory fashion will be on show from the general punters to those facing off in the hotly contested contest, which Ambassador Tannwyn Lewis was looking forward to seeing.

“It’s been a great experience being a part of the Darwin Cup Carnival, we’ve all become friends,” she said.

“I’ve been very impressed with everyone’s effort, there’s no right or wrong with fashion, everyone interprets it different and everyone expresses it differently.

“The vibe at the Darwin Cup has always been that traditional, vibrant, colourful feel yet classy and vintage at the same time, which is something everyone loves.

“But make sure you where something which you’re comfortable in, it’s a long day especially for us ladies in heels.”

Entertainment at centre field will also be a major draw with former Australian idol runner up Shannon Noll among the headline acts.

DARWIN CUP BARRIER DRAW RESULTS

Darwin Cup fever has gone up another level after the barriers for the world class racing event were revealed in front of a packed luncheon of more than 200 people on Thursday.

The first pick went to Alphina with trainer Kerry Petrick opting for the outside, selecting barrier 10, while those that immediately followed also fancied the middle.

It meant when the favourite Noir De Rue was finally called out, eight names in the team were able to take the coveted barrier 1.

Trainer Jason Manning was all too pleased to take the fence-side position saying he was aiming for anywhere in the inside six.

Noir De Rue trainer Jason Manning at the 2023 Darwin Cup barrier draw. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“We wanted to draw inside 6 and went it came our time, those barriers 2 to 5 were already gone so we had to go to the fence,” Manning said.

“You start getting toward the end of the barrier draw and start thinking we’re going to draw the outside and stuff which makes it a bit harder.

“But barrier 1, the horse is fit and he’s ready to rock and roll so it’s great, he’s spot on at the moment.

“It’s four more sleeps now, we can get him there as fit as we can and what will be will be, as we know Vanessa will give him a great ride and hopefully we can reproduce the Chief Ministers Cup win.

“He’s been forward, he’s been midfield and he’s been back, he’ll position up heading into the first bend where it’s always helter skelter and then we’ll leave it up to Vanessa.”

Meanwhile, Darwin champion trainer and last year’s Cup winner Gary Clarke had a host of runners clustered in the middle of the field.

Wolfburn, Grandlsam and Vallabar all pulled barriers between 4 and 7 to give the legendary trainer every chance of taking out back to back cups.

Ella Clarke is an outside chance of training a winner at the 2023 Darwin Cup with Ironedge an emergency. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

His daughter Ella Clarke was also in the mix with Ironedge an outside chance of hitting the track as an emergency.

The barrier announcement was immediately followed by keen conversation and drinks by the attending patrons.

With the barriers officially declared, much of the socialising involved patrons discussing their weekend plans, with many from interstate expressing their desire to make the most of their limited time in the Territory dry season.