Leading Darwin trainer Gary Clarke nearing $500,000 prizemoney

LEADING Darwin trainer Gary Clarke can pass the $500,000 mark for prizemoney earned this season with success in the Pioneer Sprint at Alice Springs on Saturday.

Gary Clarke’s “Dreaming of Nepal” will be running at Fannie Bay on Saturday. Picture: HEL

LEADING Darwin trainer Gary Clarke can pass the $500,000 mark for prizemoney earned this season with success in the Pioneer Sprint at Alice Springs on Saturday.

Clarke, who has saddled up 40 winners this season, has two chances to win the $100,000 dash for cash, the prelude to Monday’s big racing day at Pioneer Park, featuring the Alice Springs Cup (2000m).

The barrier draw was made yesterday and Clarke’s two runners, top weight Dreaming Of Nepal (Paul Shiers) and Corstons Beau (Kayla Cross), will come out of stalls at opposite ends of the gates in the 12-horse field.

Dreaming of Nepal will lug 61kgs over the 1200m course from barrier 10 while Corstons Beau has a weight of 54kgs coming out of barrier two.

The pace in the race is traditionally full-on from when the gates open and it often suits a late scooper, such as last year when Periduki came from second last to win with Scott Westover on board.

The now retired Periduki, carrying a hefty 61.5kg, was second last before he launched a fierce run down the outside in the home straight, to beat Outstandingly by a neck.

Westover will ride the Kerry Petrick-trained Ornithologist in the sprint.

The four-year-old mare has won three of her five starts this year, following a hat-trick of victories at last year’s Darwin Cup Carnival.

Westover, the son of Pioneer Park chief steward David Westover, is one of four apprentices in the race, none of whom can claim.

Another interesting statistic is that three Mt Isa-trained gallopers will run in the race. The Steven Royes-trained Albertique and Steinberg (Murray Henderson) plus the Jay Morris-trained Whetstone (Wayne Kerford) have all made the journey from far north Queensland.

Former Alice Springs trainer Gary Searle, who now trains at Gawler, has brought On Face Value (Paul Denton) up the highway for the race.

The six-year-old gelding, whose last start was a fourth at Morphettville on January 11, will be looking to recapture the form shown in Darwin last July when he won at his only start.

Meanwhile, leading betting companies are lining up with special deals for the two-day Red Centre Carnival.

TattsBet are starting Monday’s quaddie with an initial $10,000 jackpot.

“We are also injecting another $10,000 into the First 4 on the Cup,” NT TAB general manager Tony Flanegan said.

Prospective new Unibet account holders can benefit both themselves and the Alice Springs Turf Club by signing up on the club’s homepage.

“For new account-holders, we match your first racing bet up to $500, so if your first bet is $100 in racing, after correct weight a $100 free bet will lob into your account,” Unibet customer service manager Greg Aldam said.