Over $1 million in prizemoney will be up for grabs when the Alice Springs Turf Club kicks off its 2023 Cup Carnival at Pioneer Park on Saturday.
The carnival will comprise five meetings culminating with the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) and $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) on Sunday, April 30.
Other feature races include the $50,000 NT Guineas (1600m) for the three-year-olds and The Soldier Lightning Handicap (1000m) worth $30,000 on Day 2 (April 15).
Day 3 (April 22) will feature the $40,000 Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) at weight-for-age level, followed by the $30,000 Queen Of The Desert (1200m) for the fillies and mares at 0-76 level on Day 4 (April 28).
The remaining seven races on Cup Day will each have a $30,000 purse with $420,000 on the table on the nine-event program.
In all, owners and trainers will be vying for $1,075,250 in prizemoney over the five days.
A total of 93 nominations had been received by Tuesday night for Day 1 this weekend.
Thoroughbred Racing Northern Territory chief executive officer Andrew O’Toole said that he was heartened by the big numbers in the Red Centre.
“The racing in the weeks leading up to the carnival has been first class and the nominations for Day 1 are fantastic, so much that TRNT will probably divide both the 0-70 (1400m) and the 0-58 (1200m) and have a nine-race card,” he said.
“Darwin traditionally has nine races on Day 1 of its carnival, and with the excellent numbers entered for Saturday in the Red Centre, it seems appropriate to accommodate all horses.
“It’s better to divide races early in the carnival rather than on Cup weekend after there’s been weekly racing.
“Great to see the visiting trainers really out in force this weekend.
“From South Australia the likes of Kym Healy, who has long been a great supporter of Territory racing, Nicole Irwin, who of course won the Darwin Cup a couple of years ago, John Peacock and Trevor Montgomerie, and I understand Michael Hickmott has a couple targeted at the Alice Springs Cup too.
“Add to them the Darwin trainers such as Gary Clarke, Tayarn Halter, Phil Cole, Kerry Petrick, Dick Leech, Mark Nyhan, Angela Forster, Pat Johnston and Tommy Logan, and it really bolsters the numbers, which is what it’s all about.
“The locals have good numbers and horses from the Terry and Leanne Gillett, Greg Connor, Paul Gardner, Russell Bell, Kevin Lamprecht and Will Savage stables will be competitive, but you also need quantity as well as quality when it comes to weekly racing.
“The Sprint looks like being particularly strong this year, while the Cup hopefuls were on show last week and a number will be this Saturday, with the 1900m open handicap next week and the Chief Minister’s on Day 3.
“Once you get through Day 1, the rest of the carnival seems to come and go very quickly.
“TRNT has added some money to the stakes for the support races during the Alice carnival and it’s great to see the strong support for the Red Centre product from far and wide.
“And with a good stable of jockeys in the NT at present, and more interstate riders expected on Cup Day, the likes of Jason Maskiell and Anthony Darmanin, it all augurs well for a great five days of racing.
“Apart from the racing, there’s the Tried Horse Sale, which will be conducted for the first time by Magic Millions this year and will be held after the races on the Friday prior to Cup weekend.
“And of course, the first leg of the revamped Triple Crown will be the Alice Springs Cup, which will add further to the excitement over Cup weekend.
“The Alice Springs Cup Carnival has long been a bucket list event, so it is to be hoped that the visitors to the Red Centre match the numeric horse flesh on show.
“Personally, I’m looking forward to getting there for Cup weekend.”
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