A carnival like no other: Darwin Cup, Palmerston Sprint to go ahead on same day in Super Monday racing event

THE Darwin Cup Carnival is going ahead with or without crowds and will culminate in a Super Monday that will see the Palmerston Sprint and Darwin Cup run on the same day for the first time in carnival history.

2019 Darwin Cup Race 9: Darwin Cup (2000m) winner Ihtsahymn, ridden by jockey Peter Hall, rides home. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

THE Darwin Cup Carnival is going ahead with or without crowds and will culminate in a Super Monday that will see the Palmerston Sprint and Darwin Cup run on the same day for the first time in carnival history.

Darwin Turf Club boss Brett Dixon told the NT News that a weekend board meeting agreed on a modified Darwin Cup Carnival that was robust enough to accommodate late changes in a changing coronavirus environment.

To maximise runners, the traditional Saturday Palmerston Sprint day, which is held as the Saturday lead-up to Monday’s Cup Day, has been dropped this year.

The Darwin Cup will be worth $100,000 and the Palmerston Sprint $70,000 — both halving in prizemoney.

Lily North is the 2020 Darwin Cup Carnival Ambassador. Picture: Supplied

The first feature race day is the Ladbrokes Guineas on July 4, a week later is the Asia United Food Service Chief Minister’s Cup on July 11, Day 3 is Derby Day on July 22, featuring the Metric Mile, while the Bet365 Palmerston Sprint and the Great Northern Darwin Cup is on Monday August 3.

Mr Dixon said discussions were still ongoing about one more midweek feature race meeting.

He said the bold game plan to save local racing from a coronavirus death is a five-meeting Cup Carnival without any public participation.

“However that could change very quickly if the coronavirus restrictions change,” Mr Dixon said.

“Nothing has been completely ruled out, even a Cup Ball or dinner.

Ihtsahymn, ridden by Peter Hall (right) and trained by Robert Gilbert (left), wins the 2019 Great Northern Darwin Cup. Picture: Glenn Campbell

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However at this stage the meetings have been programmed with no crowd participation.

“We’re hoping that restrictions might be more relaxed if the coronavirus cases remain the same in the weeks ahead.

“If restrictions are lifted and we can have a certain amount of people at the races then it’s something we can do very easily.

“We will be guided by Chief Minister Gunner and his government. Anything we do will be done with the safety of our staff, our patrons and the industry participants as a priority.”

Gina Cassimatis, Tatiana Hoffmann and Madeleine Cvirn in the 2019 Darwin Cup Fashions on the Field competition. Picture: Keri Megelus

Mr Dixon said the Racehorse Owners’ Association Northern Territory (ROANT) Day, which has grown into the traditional starting point for major hopefuls, will continue to be the unofficial start to the Darwin Cup Carnival.

“It starts off with ROANT Day, and we have four feature race days to follow it,” Mr Dixon said.

He predicted around 200 horses would be taking part in the Cup Carnival five-meeting schedule.

Dan Morgan rides the David Bates trained Dancers Kin in the Ascend Sales Trophy Handicap over 1000m at Fannie Bay, as part of the 2019 Palmerston Sprint. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“Normally we would have well over 300 runners in Darwin, that’s why we have had to space the meetings,” Mr Dixon said.

“There is ample time between the meetings for the horses to back up. Some of the meetings in the Cup Carnival will be 10 to 12 days apart so that we have that full contingency of horse population available to run on the same day.”

Most of the horses participating will be local, Mr Dixon said.

DTC chief executive Brad Morgan said the club was geared to handle whatever restrictions are in place.

Darwin Cup fans after Ihtsahymn, ridden my Peter Hall, enters the mounting yard after winning the 2019 Darwin Cup. Picture: Glenn Campbell

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“We have a pretty agile plan and we could put on some sort of hospitality event to meet crowd participation should it eventuate,” he said.

“And that includes a modified Cup Ball as well, depending on what the restrictions are.

“If the restrictions enabled us to do something we will be able to work within what those numbers are and put something together quite quickly.

“With nothing on the Saturday leading into the Monday Cup Day gives us a really good opportunity to do something quite smart on the course in the form of a ball or a dinner on the Saturday night. We could pull it back down pretty quickly and then race again on Monday.”