Broome Races 19/7

Max Simmons

The Broome racing season is rapidly drawing to a close and the first of the "big three" feature races, the Kimberley Cup, will be the highlight of this Sunday's race meeting.

The race, to be run over 2020 metres, will carry prizemoney of $30,000 and is the final lead up race for the rich XXXX Gold Broome Cup to be run on August 8. Also on he Broome Cup day programme is the $35,000 Broome Sprint.

This will be the first time the club has programmed a meeting on a Sunday and the committee is confident it will be an outstanding success. The club's racing manager, Doug Milner, said one of the reasons for the change was to avoid a clash with the Roebourne Cup meeting.

"Because it's Roebourne's big day we thought it would be a good idea to let them have the sole rights to the country TAB meeting on Saturday," Milner said.

"Also, the committee were of the opinion that rather than have racing on four successive Saturdays we would try a Sunday with the prospects of attracting more holidaymakers and allowing those people who are tied up on Saturday a chance to enjoy a great day's entertainment."

The Kimberley Cup has attracted a good field of stayers and leading trainer Dave Casey holds a strong hand with two of his entrants, Xaarlington and Nullagine, racing in top form and likely to head the betting on the race.

Xaarlington wound up his preparation for the cup last Saturday with another dashing display in the 1800 metres weight-for-age event. It was the six-year-old's third win from four Broome starts this season and he is definitely the one to beat. Nullagine will be on trial over the 2020 metres but his last two wins - over 1500 metres and 1800 metres - could not have been more impressive.

Spelling, who ran second to Xaarlington last Saturday, certainly can't be underrated. He will meet Xaarlington on better weight terms under the handicap conditions and is a winner over 2200 metres in Victoria.


Casey and stable jockey Shane Newling have proved a formidable team over the years and they combined to win three races on last Saturday's programme. As well as Xaarlington, they were successful with Dabba Do Time and Initiative.

Dabba Do Time was having only his second start in Broome and opened his winning account in the 1000 metres maiden. He went to the front turning for home and beat newcomer Enhanced Design and Arctic Jewel.

Iniative, a winner by six lengths at the opening meeting on May 30, ended a run of four outs when he beat Modelino and Code of Silence. After missing the start, Newling kicked him up to settle in fifth place and had an uninterrupted run in the straight.

The Tom Pike-trained Chinotto made amends for his unlucky fourth at his previous start with an all-the-way win over 1200 metres. He looked in danger when hotly pressed by Town Player in the straight but when Colin Haddon pulled the whip he drew away at the finish to win comfortably. McDaniel was well beaten into third place.

In the closest finish of the day little separated Charming Manners and Amberman in the Cable Beach Caravan Park Handicap. With Charming Manners hugging the rails and Amberman near the outside rail, it was difficult to line them up and the photo narrowly favoured the Kevin Collins-trained Charming Manners.

Charming Manners' win enabled Peter Farrell to maintain his narrow lead for the leading jockey award.

Port Regis came in for solid support in the final event and he didn't let his backers down. Peter Hall always had him in a commanding position and timed his run to perfection to overhaul the leader Magicalmysterytour with the favourite Amberjob in third place.

Angela Smith, trainer of Port Regis, would have been tickled pink with the run of her stayer Viscount Cameron who finished third behind Xaarlington. Viscount Cameron finished third in last year's Broome Cup and has had an interrupted programme this year but showed on Saturday that he isn't far from peak form.