Trainers in spending spree

TWO Darwin trainers had spent more than $130,000 between them buying four tried horses at the Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast.

TWO Darwin trainers had spent more than $130,000 between them buying four tried horses at the Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast.

Dick Leech bought two Peter Snowden three-year-olds Whistle Stop and Zocalos from the Darley organisation for more than $100,000.

Leech, who won the 2008 Darwin Cup with Club Liquid, plans to sell 11 shares in the two horses.

"Whistle Stop cost $65,000, the highest I have ever paid," Leech said.

But he believes the son of Street Sense is good value.

"He has had six starts for one win, two seconds and a third," said Leech, who will run the gelding in Mel- bourne before bringing him to Darwin.

Leech plans to aim Whistle Stop for the Darwin Derby on July 19.

The former Victorian also paid $38,000 for Zocalos, a son of Exceed and Excel, which has had nine starts in NSW for two wins and two seconds and nearly $75,000 in prize money.

"It is getting hard to win a race in Darwin, so I needed some fresh blood," Leech said.

Meanwhile, Farrar-based trainer Jason Manning spent just over $30,000 on two five-year-olds from the Gillian Heinrich stable.

Internal Revenue has had 21 starts for three wins, three seconds and two thirds and has proven experience at Queensland metropolitan meetings.

"He is a nice, city-performed horse," Manning said.

"His last start last October he finished fourth at Doomben, beaten four lengths."

Dashing Charger is only lightly raced but has shown plenty of ability when on the track.

"He has had nine starts for a second and a third," Manning said.

"Internal Revenue is back in work and should be back at the races by early March."