Eagle eyes Cup again

HE was all the rage last year. In fact, Spartan Eagle had that much support on Darwin Cup Day, he may have started the Northern Territory’s biggest race as favourite.

Spartan Eagle and trainer Bob Richard have returned for another crack at the Darwin Cup Carnival. Bob takes Spartan Eagle for a wander along Mindil Beach. Picture: JUSTIN SANSON.

HE was all the rage last year.

In fact, Spartan Eagle had that much support on Darwin Cup Day, he may have started the Northern Territory’s biggest race as favourite.

Good judges reckon he would have won it.

Predictably, Adelaide trainer Bob Richard, who is based at Morphettville, returned to the Top End with the six-year-old gelding and there is an element of unfinished business when it comes to Spartan Eagle.

Boasting encouraging form at various South Australian ­venues, Spartan Eagle arrived for the Darwin Cup Carnival a year ago and made an immediate impact.

After taking out the Sportingbet Australia Handicap (1200m) on Bernborough Cup Day in June, Spartan Eagle backed up a fortnight later in the TEN Darwin Handicap (1300m).

With Darwin jockey Scott Hillebrand in the saddle, the South Australian raider suddenly grabbed headlines with victory in the Bridge Toyota Cup (1600m) and Metric Mile (1600m).

Next up was the Darwin Cup and although he had the form on the board, negotiating 2000m was a question mark as he had never raced beyond a mile.

“He had plenty of momentum last year and that’s why he was one of the favourites for the Darwin Cup,” Richard said.

“Everything fell into place on our last visit, but unfortunately not all has gone to plan on this occasion.”

Working on a similar preparation to that of 2013, it is believed that Spartan Eagle picked up a virus before arriving in Darwin. After a disappointing eighth in the QBE Cup (1200m) on June 14 — when he was reunited with Hillebrand — it was revealed he had an illness following tests.

“He then developed a cough that wouldn’t go away and by my estimation it put the horse back eight days,” Richard said.

“He also injured his nose in an accident at the Fannie Bay stables and we couldn’t stop the bleeding as he kept rubbing his nose up against the brick wall. In the end, we had to put him in a paddock in order to stop the bleeding and allow the injury to heel.

“It has been a disruptive preparation and we were clearly behind the eight-ball, but I’m more than happy now with his progress as he has finished off his last two races well.”

The Spartan Eagle-Hillebrand partnership returned to finish a solid third behind Here To There in the Coates Hire Special Conditions Handicap (1600m) on July 5, but Richard was hoping to start his horse in a race over a shorter distance.

“I would have preferred he raced over 1300m that day and that’s why he missed the Chief Ministers Cup (1600m) a week later,” Richard said.

With the Darwin Cup looming, the former Northern Territory businessman is adamant he would have loved to have started his charger in one other race, but was over the moon when Spartan Eagle (Jan Cameron) finished third in last weekend’s Buntine Handicap (1900m) behind The Ruffian.

“It was his first time over 1900m and based on that run he should have no trouble getting the 2000m in the Darwin Cup,” Richard said.

“I was a little apprehensive that he would get the 2000m last year as a five-year-old and I was under a lot of pressure to start him in the Cup, but I’m a lot more confident this year now that he is a six-year-old.”

Spartan Eagle’s final hit-out before the Darwin Cup on August 4 is today when he attempts to go back to back in the $50,000 Metric Mile.

Victory in the Cup with Spartan Eagle will erase the disappointment Richard has harboured for 20 years when his horse Tranter finished second behind Lothaway County in the NT’s biggest race in 1994. Spartan Eagle has had 39 starts for eight wins.