| What | Alice Springs Races |
| Where | Pioneer Park Racecourse – Stuart Hwy, Connellan NT 0870 |
| When | Sunday, October 16, 2022 |
| First Race | 2:04pm ACST |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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Racing returns to Pioneer Park this weekend with a five-part card hosted by the Alice Springs Turf Club. We have gone through every race in the book and picked out our best bets for each.
Race 1 (2.04pm) – $18,375 Ladbrokes Cash In 0-58 Handicap (1200m)
Harbour Express is a narrow top pick after ending a three month drought last Saturday with victory over 1200m (BM54) having led from start to finish. The nine-year-old gelding, who has won 11 races from 85 career starts, drops 2.5kg and based on his last start effort is more than a decent chance of going back to back. Harbour Express has only won five races in 21 appearances in the Red Centre and is currently enjoying his third stint in Alice Springs. The only time the former SA galloper has won the following week was last year (March-April) when he won three straight at Pioneer Park. Harbour Express had a win on July 3 over 1100m (0-58) and in his next six starts the only time he made an impact was on July 24 when he finished second over 1200m (BM54). Mi Mijo, who is lumping 59.5kg, is racing well and is the biggest threat. After five runs in Victoria and NSW at the start of the year, Mi Mijo was a first up fifth in a 1200m maiden in the Alice on July 17 before saluting in a 1400m maiden on August 26. He then finished third over 1200m (Class 2) on September 11 and second over 1400m (BM54) two weeks later. Lisa finished unplaced on three occasions before a last start second over 1200m (0-58) and will benefit from a 3kg claim. The Chaplain was only half a length adrift of Harbour Express in second place last Saturday.
Best Bet
Race 1 – 
#3 Harbour Express (4)
9yo Gelding | T: Lisa Whittle | J: Paul Denton (56.5kg)
$4.80 with Bet365
Race 2 (2.44pm) – $18,375 Seppelt Wines Class 2 Handicap (1100m)
Speed Wheel made her debut in a 1212m maiden for 2YOs at Sale in March last year and finished 10th. In her next nine starts in Victoria and NSW, the four-year-old mare could only manage three fourths at Wodonga (1100m), Corowa (1300m) and Wangaratta (1170m). Speed Wheel was spelled last October before having two starts in March finishing unplaced in 1000m maidens at Corowa and Albury. Arriving in Alice Springs the mare finished second on debut in a 1200m maiden on July 17 before posting her first win in a 1200m maiden on August 6. Speed Wheel was second behind the in-form Liberty Blue over 1100m (Class 2) on August 20 before coming seventh over 1200m (Class 2) on September 11. A last start third over 1200m (0-58) on September 25 suggests that the seventh was an aberration. Kikuyu has only had six career starts and in five appearances in Victoria managed a second, a third and two fourths from 1200-1450m before coming fifth in a 1347m maiden at Geelong on July 1. Two weeks ago, Kikuyu finished fifth on his NT debut in an 1100m maiden at Darwin. Ginger Creek makes his NT debut and was far from disgraced in Victoria and NSW before a last start sixth over 1500m (BM58) at Gawler in April. Manhattan Man was racing well before taking a break in June and a 4kg claim enhances his prospects.
Best Bet
Race 2 – 
#5 Speed Wheel (2)
4yo March | T: Will Savage | J: Sonja Wiseman (56kg)
$5.50 with Unibet
Race 3 (3.18pm) – $20,475 Alice Springs Brewing Co 0-70 Handicap (1100m)
Intercontinental is hard to beat if he gets to an early lead and that applied last Saturday when he recorded a narrow win over 1200m (0-64). The six-year-old gelding has had 13 starts in the Red Centre after winning two races from 21 starts in NSW and will be aiming to make it six wins at Pioneer Park. The only time Intercontinental achieved back to back wins in the Alice was in February when he saluted over 1100m (Class 2) before backing up two weeks later over 1100m (0-58). He then went off the boil and was spelled. The gelding hasn’t put a foot wrong since returning in July with three wins, a second and a third in six starts. His last start win was no surprise after finishing second behind Liberty Blue over 1000m (0-70) on September 25. Stablemate White Kaps debuted in the Alice in October 2020 and in 17 starts at Pioneer Park has managed three wins, four seconds and two thirds. He has also raced at Darwin, Adelaide River and Tennant Creek – he won at Fannie Bay over 1100m (BM54) in May 2021. After finishing third over 1000m (0-58) on Alice Springs Cup Day (May 1), White Kaps has posted two wins, a second and a third before a last start eighth over 1000m (0-70) on September 25. Elixir debuted in the Red Centre in April and was unplaced six times before an eye-catching second over 1200m (BM76) on September 11.
Best Bet
Race 3 – 
#4 Intercontinental (3)
6yo Gelding | T: Greg Connor | J: Jessie Philpot (58kg)
$2.30 with Bet365
Race 4 (3.51pm) – $18,375 BT Daley Painting Benchmark 54 Handicap (1100m)
Bold Tropic finally got that elusive first win at the 13th attempt with an impressive effort last Saturday in a 1000m maiden. The five-year-old gelding debuted on July 23 at Darwin in an 1100m maiden and finished sixth before backing up two weeks later in Alice Springs to grab third place behind Speed Wheel in a 1200m maiden. Bold Tropic then finished sixth behind Liberty Blue – arguably the best horse running around in the Alice at the moment – over 1100m (Class 2) on August 20, but he wasn’t necessarily all that far adrift. Backing up on September 25 against maiden performers and 3YOs at a Class 2 level, Bold Tropic finished second and so a last start victory came as no surprise. He gave Drawn To Win a fair start last weekend before grabbing the lead in the home straight at the 200m mark to prevail by three lengths. Bold Tropic’s best effort in eight Victorian starts was a third in a 1200m maiden at Hamilton in February. In his last two starts before heading north, he managed two fourths at Ararat (1100m) and Stawell (1300m). Vega Prince hasn’t fired a shot in the Red Centre – a first up third in a 1200m maiden on September 25 was followed by a disappointing fourth behind Bold Tropic last Saturday. Can’t see Mackinaw, who won a 1000m maiden at Tamworth in July before departing NSW, Acres Midnight or Kitty Damour winning.
Best Bet
Race 4 – #1 Bold Tropic (1)
5yo Gelding | T: Greg Connor | J: Dan Morgan (60kg)
$1.90 with Neds
Race 5 (4.25pm) – $23,100 Gallagher Insurance Handicap (1600m)
Fantasy Eagle made his Alice Springs debut on May 29 and came within a whisker of toppling Miles Prower, an absolute star at Pioneer Park, before coming second over 1200m (0-70). Yet another narrow second behind the consistent Zelring over 1400m (0-64) on June 19 was followed by a fourth behind the in-form Sedona over 1200m (0-64) on July 24. Fantasy Eagle, a 6YO gelding, struck gold on August 20 when he saluted over 1400m (0-70). Just when all seemed to be going well he finished fifth in open company over 1400m behind the talented Star Of Monsoon on August 26. There were excuses that day and although he has only finished third in three attempts over 1600m – that occurred at Newcastle in February (BM64) – he does have the benefit of a 3kg claim. In 20 NSW starts, Fantasy Eagle managed four wins, three seconds, five thirds and a fourth from 1100-1600m. Roughly, a 10YO mare, boasts three wins, a second, a third and a fourth in her past six starts, but is racing over 1600m for the first time and is spotting Fantasy Eagle 7.5kg. Just Hang Up has been a shadow of himself since June, but produced a super effort last Saturday after missing the start disastrously before storming home to go narrowly over 1600m (0-58). Is he back? It could be a tough day for Hard Work Rewards, a nine-year-old mare, and Benzagain.
Best Bet
Race 5 – #2 Fantasy Eagle (4)
6yo Gelding | T: Will Savage | J: Ianish Luximon (a3) (55kg)
$2.50 with Bet365
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