Former Victorian trained galloper Zahspeed completed a 2018 Darwin Cup Carnival feature race double for leading trainer Gary Clarke when he took out the $200,00 Carlton Mid Darwin Cup (2000m) at Fannie Bay on Monday.

Zahspeed, above, was the winner of the 2018 Darwin Cup at Fannie Bay. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Zahspeed, above, was the winner of the 2018 Darwin Cup at Fannie Bay. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

Two days earlier Clarke had saddled up the stable’s star sprinter Captain Punch for a seven and a quarter lengths win in the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) on the black sand at Fannie Bay.

Zahspeed had been the pre-race favourite for the Darwin Cup in the week leading up to the race following his five lengths trouncing of the opposition in the $60,000 Chief Minster’s Cup (1600m) at Fannie Bay on July 14 but a flood of money for the Michael Hickmott trained Lieder saw the Clarke trained seven year old relegated to the $4.40 second pick in the market order.

Lieder was sent out as the $3.40 favourite but was two and a half lengths behind Zahspeed in second spot when the judge called a halt to proceedings.

Zahspeed also made it two Darwin Cup wins for Clarke who won the 2015 version with Lightinthenite.

Clarke is the leading trainer in the Top End while Darwin Cup winning jockey Brendon Davis was also aboard Captain Punch for his Palmerston Spring runaway win.

Captain Punch has been a great money spinner for the Clarke stable and his win last Saturday was his fourth from his last five starts at Darwin.

2018 Darwin Cup Results

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Starting Price
1 1 ZAHSPEED Gary Clarke Brendon Davis 2 60.5kg $4.40
2 7 LIEDER Michael Hickmott Jamie Kah 2.5L 4 54kg $3.40F
3 10 SENIOR COUNCIL John Peacock Raymond Vigar 6.8L 1 54kg $17
4 2 ROYAL REQUEST Neil Dyer Jarrod Todd 7.3L 8 59.5kg $9
5 4 FOLK TALES (NZ) Richard Laming Jason Lyon 9.3L 5 55.5kg $11
6 11 LOTION Angela Forster Stan Tsaikos 9.6L 6 54kg $91
7 8 PRETTY BLONDE Philip Cole Justin Potter 10.8L 12 54kg $81
8 12 TURF MAN John Hickmott Dom Tourneur 11L 9 54kg $4
9 6 NEUSCHWANSTEIN Sherrie Lawlor Ms Felicia Bergstrand 12L 11 55kg $91
10 3 KIFAAH Gary Clarke Richie Oakford 15.5L 3 56kg $21
11 5 LAKE JACKSON Angela Forster Carl Spry 25.3L 7 55kg $71
12 9 SATURDAY SORCERER Jason Manning Ms Vanessa Arnott 125L 10 54kg $31

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.