Alice Springs speedster Le Commandant has drawn the rails in the capacity field for the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) at Fannie Bay in Darwin on Saturday.

Boomwaa, above, has been installed the early favourite for the Palmerston Sprint at Fannie Bay in Darwin. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Boomwaa, above, has been installed the early favourite for the Palmerston Sprint at Fannie Bay in Darwin. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

The final field of twelve plus two emergencies was released on Wednesday morning with first emergency Niccoco already gaining a start with the early scratching of the Tayarn Halter trained Your Excellency.

The Greg Connor trained Le Commandant is racing in great style and will be chasing his fourth win in succession with jockey Stephen Ridler in the saddle again after the pair combined for a last start win in the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) at Ladbrokes Pioneer Park in Alice Springs on April 29.

Leading Darwin trainer Gary Clarke will saddle up four runners in the Palmerston Sprint, Ticket To Toorak, King’s Pardon, Captain Punch and Boomwaa, with all four runners drawing single digit barriers.

King’s Pardon drew the best at gate two with Paul Denton in the saddle, Jason Lyon’s mount Boomwaa drew barrier five, Ticket To Toorak came up with seven for Brendon Davis and Captain Punch is the widest of the Clarke quartet at barrier eight with Richie Oakford to ride.

King’s Pardon and Ticket To Toorak will clash with Le Commandant again after finishing third and sixth in the Pioneer Sprint.

King’s Pardon will be first up in the Palmerston Sprint after Clarke sent him for a break after the Pioneer Sprint but Ticket To Toorak has been in the winner’s stall twice since at Fannie Bay with victories in a 1000m Handicap on June 24 and in the $34,000 Coates Hire Weight For Age (1200m) on July 22.

Captain Punch goes into the Palmerston Sprint as a last start winner over Boomwaa in the $30,000 Roger Booth Memorial (1100m) at Fannie Bay on July 8 while Boomwaa will also step out on Saturday having won at his last start after bouncing back with a victory in a 11100m BenchMark NT Handicap at Fannie Bay on July 19.

Boomwaa has been installed the early favourite for the Palmerston Sprint at $4.40 in a very congested market order at Ladbrokes.com.au that has Captain Punch at $5 and Le Commandant, Ticket To Toorak and King’s Pardon all on $5.50.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.