Racing fans, punters celebrate another day of Darwin Cup Carnival action at the Metric Mile

The 2021 Darwin Cup Carnival produced another exciting day of racing for the Metric Mile with punters gathering to cheer on their favourite horses in the final weekend ahead of Cup Day.

Annette Sullivan (centre) tangled up in blue at the Darwin Turf Club’s Metric Mile race day as she cheers on her horse. Picture: Glenn Campbell

THE 2021 Darwin Cup Carnival produced another exciting day of racing for the Metric Mile with punters gathering to cheer on their favourite horses in the final weekend ahead of Cup Day.

Annette Sullivan is part of the group Women in Thoroughbred, a racing syndicate that has a share in the Gary Clarke-trained Patriot Day who raced in race three.

She cheered hard as her runner hit the front and looked likely to hold on to its lead until anther Clarke-trained horse ran him down in the last 100m.

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“I was enjoying myself quite a bit when my horse was in the lead but then he lost. I thought he would have won,” Ms Sullivan said.

“It’s been a great day though. It just would have been better if I won.”

Thoroughbred Racing Northern Territory chief executive Andrew O’Toole rated the Carnival as a success so far, noting the strong crowds and racing fields.

“If you don’t get up at this time of year you never will. It’s been good to see some great racing and some good crowds,” Mr O’Toole said.