They continue to arrive in droves in the Red Centre for the forthcoming Cup Carnival and Alice Springs Turf Club chairman Andrew Maloney wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Cup Carnival kicks off on April 8 culminating with the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) and $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) on April 30.
Interstate raiders and quality Darwin opposition will face the best Alice Springs has to offer at Pioneer Park, and to be fair the racing in recent weeks has been extremely competitive.
The non-stop action in Central Australia continues on Saturday with a tremendous six-event program highlighted by $23,100 races for the sprinters over 1000m and an open handicap over 1400m.
Roughly, Esashi and Harpuna will fly the flag for the locals in the sprint, while Supreme Attraction, Desert Lass, Valley Prince, Write Your Name and Valenciano will also benefit from the home conditions when they contest the open handicap.
Maloney is also looking forward to the 1200m for the 0-70 grade and is bullish about the chances of Alice Springs runners Halgard, Miles Prower, Arrogant Miss and Unpredicted.
It’s certainly an exciting time of year for the ASTC and Maloney is pleased with the amount of horses that have arrived in town.
“They’re probably here a lot earlier than normal given our Carnival doesn’t kick off until next month – it’s not that far away though,” he said.
“The horses that we’ve got, obviously in work and being nominated now, it’s exciting.
“It’s really cranking up – more the merrier – our field numbers are extraordinary and it’s hard to fault the depth of the fields.
“I guess that’s the other thing, it’s just not the numbers, there’s quality racing and this Saturday is a prime example – it’s also so unpredictable at the moment.
“Without putting a negative on it, it’s pretty amazing our numbers given the fact that top trainer Lisa Whittle has left town.
“At the same time there’s others stepping up and there’s also just the evenness of the winners so far.
“Even last weekend – that Benchmark 76 race over 1200m won by Bat Pad and that featured Bench Press – that was a quality field.
“As was the St Patrick’s Day Cup – Dick Leech’s Lethal Encounter was an easy winner of the race, but it was a strong line up.”
There are five horses who will debut at Pioneer Park on Saturday – Slinky’s Star (Race 1), Marimenko (Race 2), Great Diviner (Race 4), Dissmagic (Race 5) and Group Think (Race 6).
Recent new arrivals who have at least had one start include Mr Nafplion and Garrucha (Race 1), Triston Rising and Dynamic Thinker (Race 2), Beatbox and Zoutons (Race 3), Variara and Torratorio (Race 5), and Great Buy (Race 6).
John Peacock’s Super Famous and Star Of Monsoon, Trevor Montgomerie’s A Thousand Degrees, Tanner and Well Known, Gary Clarke’s Asahi Bearing, Dick Leech’s Yowza and Greg Connor’s Danon Roman have returned to the Alice and will feature this weekend.
“Interstate and Darwin owners and trainers also realise that there’s some good opportunities for them in Alice at this time of year,” Maloney said.
“It’s good to have horses from the Trevor Montgomerie, John Peacock, Mark Nyhan, Gary Clarke and Patrick Johnston stables here already.
“I know Michael Hickmott from South Australia will come up for the last weekend – he’ll obviously be targeting the Cup and the Sprint and he’s going to bring up quite a few.
“I believe Nicole Irwin, also from South Australia, will be bringing a team.
“Expecting more to come down from Darwin.
“Gary Clarke has already got some here, he’ll obviously start sending down more and more every week.
“And Phil Cole, he’ll be a big contributor to the Carnival.
“Dick Leech is probably the one that’s firing the most of the local trainers here in Alice and Paul Gardner has been going well.
“We’re going to have some pretty solid numbers from Alice and Darwin, and then whoever comes up from down south.
“And we’ll see Danon Roman, who ran third in the Cup last year – he’s now with Greg Connor.”
Clarke won the Cup last year with Count Of Essex, with Top End jockey Jarrod Todd on board, while Cole made it back to back wins in the Sprint with Smuggling, who was partnered by Victoria’s Jason Maskiell on each occasion.
Maloney confirmed that Darwin-based jockeys Casey Hunter and Sonja Wiseman have relocated to Alice Springs for the Cup Carnival, with further Top End jockeys expected.
The other highlight during the Cup Carnival will be the Magic Millions Alice Springs Tried Horse Sale at Pioneer Park following the races on Friday, April 28.
“Casey and Sonja are here for the duration of the Carnival – fly up to Darwin for their commitments,” Maloney said.
“They’re also here riding work, which is pretty good for us.
“We’ve started assembling our horses for the Tried Horse Sale.
“Andrew O’Toole and Greg Aldam from Thoroughbred Racing Northern Territory are putting it together – they’ve got three already and they look really handy types.
“Hopefully, we’ll have a good sale this year.”
Finally, Alice Springs apprentice Ianish Luximon contested Heat 4 of the National Apprentice Race Series at Strathalbyn on Wednesday finishing sixth on Mick Huxtable’s Family Addition ($17 with horse betting sites) over 1350m (BM60) and ninth on Grant Young’s Foreign Legion ($61) over 1600m (BM58).
Both legs were taken out by Queensland apprentice Emily Lang on Grant Kluske’s Bonnie Gangster ($2.30 fav) before saluting on Jordan Frew’s Li’l Hank ($2.90 fav).
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