Ville De Berne stakes claim for big race success

TRAINER Philip Cole staked a claim for double success in the St Patrick's Day Cup in a fortnight at Fannie Bay yesterday.

Ville de Berne

TRAINER Philip Cole staked a claim for double success in the St Patrick's Day Cup in a fortnight at Fannie Bay yesterday.

Cole's two entries in the five-race card, Drafted in race three, and Ville De Berne in the final race over a mile, both showed that they could be serious threats to win the $37,500 cup in 13 days.

Certainly that was the direction that Cole and jockey Craig Lloyd were leaning towards yesterday. Ville De Berne has the proven ability to compete over 1600m from his Adelaide performances and yesterday Darwin was shown how impressive he can be.

In a five-horse field, last year's St Patrick's Cup winner Andamooka Gem and Ville De Berne battled it out.

But Ville De Berne got the upper hand heading into the finishing straight to deny Kirkham (Melanie Tyndall) by two lengths. Bacchus Eagle (Samantha Rowley) was third, Andamooka Gem was last.

With the fine showing of Drafted earlier, when he finished second behind the impressive It's Home, Cole had plenty of reasons to smile.

"I think Drafted is a better horse than Ville De Berne," said the forthright Cole.

Craig Lloyd said he would be happy to ride whichever horse the trainer wanted him on.

Lloyd said Ville De Berne had impressed him with his win over the mile.

"I think he is a really good chance for the St Paddy's Day Cup," said the hoop, who has relocated to Darwin with his family.

Lloyd said he had run second in his one and only appearance in the cup and he was looking to go one better in two weeks.