Emerging Warrnambool stayer Darkbonee is on track to contest rich middle-distance races over Melbourne’s spring racing carnival after his impressive victory in the $150,000 benchmark 100 Toby Newton Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield last Saturday.
With Jamie Melham aboard, Darkbonee ($2.70 favourite) beat Detonator Jack by a length and three-quarters, with Just Folk third.
Trainer Symon Wilde said Darkbonee, a lightly raced five-year-old who’s won four of his 10 starts, is an exciting staying prospect.
“He’s an untapped stayer,” Wilde said. “He’s very exciting. We haven’t got to the bottom of him yet. 
“I’m not sure how far he can go but I think he’ll keep on improving as we get out in distance. 
“He’s been a slow-maturing type of horse. He had a big jump in class for Saturday’s race and I think he can do the same next time. We’ve given him time to mature and I think it’s really paying dividends now.”
The $200,000 Heatherlie Stakes on August 29 is the next race on the agenda for Darkbonee. A run in the $200,000 Naturalism Stakes on September 19 is on the cards before a possible tilt at the $5 million Caulfield Cup on October 17.
“We’re taking it one run at a time but the Heatherlie will be his next start and then we’ll look at the Naturalism,” Wilde said. 
“It would be great if he could win the Naturalism as it would guarantee him a start in the Caulfield Cup. 
“If he happened to get in, he’d be down in the weights, which would be a real bonus. And I’m sure he’ll really appreciate the 2400 metres.”
From his 10 starts Darkbonee has won $246,975 in stakemoney.
Meanwhile, Wilde was delighted with the win of Bazini under Dean Parker in the benchmark 120 Henry Dwyer Racing Steeplechase (3250m) at the last jumps meeting for 2026 at Ballarat last Sunday. 
“It was a deserved win,” he said. “He’s been unlucky in a few steeplechases. 
“He’s won two of his last five jumps starts. I really think he’ll be an improved jumper in 2027.”
Andy joins the greats
First-season jumper Andy Win etched his name in the record books for Warrnambool trainer Shane Jackson with a 12-length win over Mr Lincoln in the $350,000 Grand National Steeplechase at Ballarat.
Andy Win, ridden on Sunday by Tom Ryan, only started his jumping career in May, winning five races over the jumps including the Grand National Hurdle-Steeplechase double.
He is just the third horse to complete that double in the same year, after Mosstrooper (1930) and Tallyho Twinkletoe (2019).
Jackson says Andy Win is as tough as old boots.
“It’s incredible to think he started off winning a maiden hurdle at Warrnambool and has gone on to win both features,” he said. 
“He’s a great jumper. His wins have been a huge thrill for my family and his connections. It was also a wonderful ride by Tommy.”
Mr Lincoln, prepared by Tower Hill hobby trainer Chris Ryan, picked up $63,000 with his second placing behind Andy Win.
Gripping was due
Gripping finally shook off his maiden status over jumps with a resounding victory at the Ballarat meeting.
The Peter Lafferty-trained Gripping had placed four times in his debut jumping season before Sunday’s win with Jordan Hart aboard in the Ciaron Maher Racing Maiden Hurdle (3400).
Lafferty gave credit to Hart for his winning ride as well as to Warrnambool  jumps jockey Daniel Small, who did educational work on Gripping. 
Lafferty, son of the late legendary Warrnambool trainer Kevin Lafferty, said he was thankful that his mate Andy Kermond and Jason Patton had advised him to buy Gripping as a jumping prospect.
“I’d been looking around for a jumper for a few months,” he said. “Jason had trained Gripping up in Brisbane. He and Andy both said he was an ideal type for a jumper. 
“I think with the jumping experience this year under his belt Gripping will develop into a nice jumper next year. 
“It’s in the back of my mind that Gripping will develop into a better steeplechaser than a hurdler.”
With the jumps season for 2026 now over, Lafferty says he’s undecided whether to send Gripping to the spelling paddock or give him a start in a distance flat race.
Black-booker
Persian Spirit: resumed with a nice effort to run second in a 1200-metre race at Caulfield. He’ll be hard to beat in lesser company next time.