Balastier out to justify massive hype in Palmerston Sprint

Few horses have generated as much excitement in Northern Territory racing as Balastier, who will bid to continue his remarkable rise in Saturday’s Palmerston Sprint (1200m) at Darwin.

The four-year-old son of Brazen Beau has quickly become the headline act in the Top End, winning seven of his 13 career starts, including both appearances since joining Darwin trainer Chloe Baxter from the stable of Danny O’Brien.

His latest victory elevated expectations to another level after he shattered the Darwin 1200-metre track record two weeks ago, cruising to a dominant 7.75-length win without ever appearing fully extended.

That breathtaking performance prompted a glowing assessment from managing owner Sean Buckley’s racing manager, Tony Khoury, who believes Balastier is capable of even greater achievements.

“This is the fastest dirt sprint horse in the world. I think he will show that on Saturday and break the track record again.

“They simply won’t beat him. He will win by at least two lengths.”

Khoury also revealed the stable has lofty international ambitions.

“We are hoping to get an invitation from Dubai to race in one of their sprints, because this horse’s times on the dirt here are unbelievable. We could also consider taking the horse to America to race on the dirt.”

Whether those plans become reality remains to be seen, but first Balastier must justify his $1.80 favouritism against 10 rivals on Saturday, with Jason Lyon again taking the ride.

Among his challengers is Ella Clarke-trained Runaway Tycoon, who arrives in winning form after completing a hat-trick of victories, all at Darwin.

One of those wins came over the Palmerston Sprint distance, with Runaway Tycoon stopping the clock less than a second slower than Balastier’s record-breaking performance.

Importantly, Runaway Tycoon carried 2.5kg more than Balastier on that occasion, while the pair will meet at level weights of 54kg on Saturday.

Dakota Lee is another respected rival, although the Terry Gillett-trained mare faces a significant challenge under 63kg.

She drops back in distance after a close second to Magic Defense in the Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m), while Boldinho, who finished eight lengths behind Balastier in their previous meeting, is also among the leading contenders.

Balastier has already rewritten the Darwin record books. On Saturday, he has the chance to reinforce the belief that he is one of Australia’s most exciting dirt sprinters.

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