Darwin Double offers $50k bonus for winning Guineas, NT Derby
On the back of the exciting Territory Treble announcement last month, the Darwin Turf Club has announced a new $50,000 bonus to be called the Darwin Double.
Devised for the three-year-olds, the prizemoney will be awarded if a horse can win the $75,000 Darwin Guineas (1600m) and $135,000 NT Derby (2050m) in the same year.
The Guineas, Derby and $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) once comprised the Triple Crown in the Top End with a $100,000 bonus awarded to connections should their three-year-old win all three races.
In its previous format the treble had become an increasingly ambitious target set for the three-year-olds with the bonus only ever being achieved twice over the last 40 years.
The most recent winner of the Triple Crown being Ventilago in 1996 – preceded by Brinney in 1989.
But for the very first time, the Darwin Double which incorporates a three-year-old successful in winning the Guineas (July 8) and Derby (July 22), will now go on to receive a $50,000 bonus and presents connections with a very real opportunity of celebrating an added windfall.
DTC chairman Richard O’Sullivan said that while the new concept still represents a significant challenge for any three-year-old, it opens up an opportunity for entrants to race for the bonus in their own age category and in turn making the Darwin Double a very real chance of being realised in 2023.
“Once again we have reviewed the concept and continually evaluate and examine ways in which these bonuses become more achievable and in turn provide further opportunities for owners and trainers by way of incorporating attractive potential returns upon their significant investments to the industry”, O’Sullivan said.
“This new concept still provides a challenge, but based on past data, is far more achievable and has the prospect of adding another exciting bonus scheme to the Darwin Cup Carnival.”
Since 1981, the Guineas-Derby double has been won some 14 times and includes winners in more recent times such as Host Of The Party (2013), Finke (2016) and Poets Landing (2019).
In future years, the DTC will look to potentially incorporate a further bonus scheme to incentivise three-year-old racing for those horses who have competed in the Darwin Double and stay on to be a part of Top End racing.
“This is a concept consistent with our strategy of enabling incentives to drive the investment into three-year-old’s coming to Darwin and extend their careers here in the Territory, and in turn strengthening our racing stocks during the wet season and beyond.” O’Sullivan added.
The Triple Crown may no longer be the domain of the three-year-olds, but the promotion has not been lost to NT racing and will continue after it was significantly revamped.
As from this year, the Triple Crown is open to all-aged gallopers and has been renamed the Territory Treble, with the $100,000 bonus still on offer to the connections of the horse that wins the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) on April 30, Darwin’s $60,000 Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) on July 15 and Darwin Cup (2050m) on August 7.
“History has proven it is extremely difficult to have a three-year-old take on the older horses in the Darwin Cup and to extend over the 2050m distance,” said Karl deKroo of Ladbrokes, sponsor of the Territory Treble.
“This new concept still provides a significant challenge to win all three Cups, but it feels far more achievable and has the added benefit of engaging both the Red Centre and Top End.
“It is to be hoped that Darwin Cup-bound horses will now also place the Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup on the agenda – it has the potential to provide a very exciting climax to the Darwin Cup Carnival.”
Last year’s Chief Minister’s Cup winner, Playoffs, went on to win the Darwin Cup but did not run in Alice Springs, while Pretty Blonde back in 2014 won both Alice and Darwin Cups – but ran down the track in the Chief Minister’s Cup.
DTC chief executive officer Grant Dewsbury added that the likelihood of the Treble, under the previous criteria, was an “outside chance”, but now becomes a very real possibility with the three Cups up for grabs with horses all focused in lead-up preparations for the Darwin Cup.
“This is a great new concept and will only add to an already exciting Darwin Cup Carnival and one which could see only the third horse in history taking out the $100,000 bonus,” he said.
Alice Springs Turf Club chairman Andrew Maloney added that he welcomed the involvement of the Red Centre in the revised Triple Crown concept.
“It builds upon an already strong relationship between the two major NT clubs and continues the association with Ladbrokes as our major sponsor and supporter,” Maloney said.
Ladbrokes has agreed to terms on a two-year deal to become the official wagering partner and naming rights sponsor of the Territory’s three country venues – Adelaide River, Katherine and Tennant Creek.
Ladbrokes signage will adorn the three country tracks and the deal will allow the country club Cups to each be worth $30,000 in 2023, with this figure expected to increase in the coming years.
Thoroughbred Racing NT chief executive officer Andrew O’Toole said: “Ladbrokes have been fantastic to work with on this project, and we are delighted that they have agreed to support our country venues, which are so important to the lifeblood of Territory racing.”
The Alice Springs Cup Carnival, comprising five meetings, takes place at Pioneer Park from April 8-30, with the Darwin Cup Carnival, comprising eight meetings, takes place at Fannie Bay from July 8–August 7.