Leech seals Darwin’s Palmerston Sprint with the flashy Early Crow

[Wandering Eyes]

Strapper Lorraine Edwards, winning jockey Aaron Sweeney and trainer Dick Leech after five-year-old gelding Early Crow won the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) at Fannie Bay on Saturday on Day 7 of the Darwin Cup Carnival. Picture: Caroline Camilleri (Darwin Photography Professionals)

He dominated the recent Alice Springs and Provincial season, and on Saturday he dominated the NT’s biggest race for the sprinters at Fannie Bay.

Trainer Dick Leech, with stables in the Red Centre and Top End, claimed the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) with five-year-old gelding Early Crow ($4.80 fav) on Day 7 of the Darwin Cup Carnival.

For Leech, a long time NT trainer with a host of feature wins under his belt, it was his second Palmerston after Lucid Reflection saluted in 2010.

Leech actually won his first ever trainers’ premiership in the NT when he secured the Alice title for the 2022/23 season with 27 winners – finishing 10 clear of Terry Gillett.

It was back to back NT majors for Leech after Write Your Name sealed the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) at Pioneer Park in April.

Write Your Name ($9) is currently on the fourth line of betting for the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) on Monday as Leech strives to win the race a second time.

Incredibly, Club Liquid was victorious by 13 lengths in 2008.

For Saturday’s winning rider, Canberra-based Aaron Sweeney, it was back to back Darwin features after guiding Munster to victory for Victorian trainer Neil Dyer in the Jaytex Construction Cup (1300m) on Wednesday.

With the Carnival ending on Monday, Sweeney, who arrived in the tropics in June after accepting an invitation to ride for Kyneton-based Dyer, trails Jarrod Todd (13) as the leading jockey with seven wins after riding a double on Saturday.

Early Crow, eighth in the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) in Alice in April, finished fourth over 1300m (0-76) on July 8 on his Darwin return before coming second over 1100m (0-70) a fortnight later.

The son of Kuroshio was considered a strong Palmerston hope after a dominant win over 1100m in open company the previous Saturday.

With 54kg on his back, he settled nicely on the fence in the Palmerston in eighth place – he wasn’t too far away as Chris Nash’s Ideas Man ($7.50) and Nicole Irwin’s Masterati ($9.50) set the early pace.

Early Crow was on the move at the 500m and although hindered approaching the final bend with 400m to go, he left the fence once turning for home and continued to accelerate over the final 300m.

Ideas Man, with Mark Pegus in the saddle, was two lengths clear at the 200m, but had no answer for Early Crow, who went on to win comfortably by two lengths.

Gary Clarke’s Mr Cashman ($7.50), with NT Derby winning jockey Paul Denton on board, never left the fence and trailed the leaders throughout before finishing 2.8 lengths adrift in third place.

“He was good today, it was a good win,” Sweeney, who hails from Ireland, said of Early Crow.

“We came out of barrier seven and I said to Dick that we’re going to be positive out.

“We knew that there was a lot of speed in it and that they were going to go hard.

“The option was to go forward and when I was there I saw the opportunity to kind of take a bit of a pull back and slot in behind them and get on the fence.

“I just thought the fence was probably the best place to be as they do fan off on the corner.

“We were travelling at the 600m and I never felt under pressure.

“I had to ride him out on the turn because he can be a bit awkward – he likes to drift off, run off the turn a little bit.

“I tried to ride him around that turn without trying to restrain him too much.

“Trying to steer him at the same time without him running off on the turn wasn’t easy, but as soon as you straighten he goes straight as a die.

“I had to count to 10 at the 400m as I was caught out for a bit of room – I couldn’t really get out and just waited and then all the gates opened for me.

“It was just a matter of showing him daylight and he just did the rest from there – he has a massive turn of foot.

“I just rode him as if he was the best horse in the race and he just showed today that he was the best horse in the race.”

Sweeney now prepares for the Darwin Cup on Monday where he will partner Mohican Heights for Dyer, who is aiming to win the race for a fourth time.

“The barrier is a bit awkward for Mochican Heights, but I’m not too worried as such over the 2050m,” he said.

“I think he can be quite competitive – there’s a reason why he has a rating of 90.

“I’ll just see how it all pans out – ride him like the best horse in the race and hopefully we can get the job done there too.”

2023 Palmerston Sprint Replay – Early Crow (1st)

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