The bookies couldn’t split them during the week, and little should separate Red Wraith and Garrucha in the feature race at Alice Springs on Sunday.
Both are last start winners, with Paul Gardner’s Red Wraith – the early $2.80 favourite with horse racing bookmakers – and Dan Morgan’s Garrucha ($2.90) squaring off in a five-horse field over 1100m (BM76) at Pioneer Park.
Ray Viney’s Kickatorp ($4.20), Greg Connor’s Flying Start ($7.50) and Lisa Whittle’s Lunar Solar ($12) complete the field.
It might well be a small field, but it’s an exceptional field and Gardner agrees Red Wraith, who boasts seven wins and five minor placings from 15 Alice Springs starts, will have to be at his best.
The five-year-old gelding impressed three weeks ago when he led early over 1200m (BM76) before extending his advantage at the 600m to overcome Flying Start by 3.8 lengths.
Red Wraith ($1.75 fav) carried 56kg with local apprentice Lek Maloney in the saddle, but he will lump an extra 3kg on Sunday with Gardner booking Darwin jockey Adam Nicholls.
“He took a little while to get going in Darwin, I just think he didn’t handle the track to start with and showed his true form on Cup Day,” Gardner said.
“He needs to roll along, that’s his pattern because once you take hold of him he doesn’t gallop freely.
“He doesn’t have to lead, but he’s got to be handy.
“It was a good win last start, he went well, but before that Greg’s horse beat him.
“Flying Start goes good and is going to be hard to beat.”
Garrucha, a five-year-old gelding, has had five starts for Morgan since transferring from the stable of former Alice Springs trainer Russell Bell earlier this year.
The son of Street Boss managed three wins and a second before pinging the gates two weeks ago and blitzing his rivals by 5.8 lengths over 1000m (0-70) after returning from a four-month spell.
“Dan’s horse is an up and coming sprinter – his form is second to none,” Gardner said.
“Garrucha will run on the pace and he keeps charging to the line.
“Since Dan has taken over the horse his form has been really good, he’s done nothing wrong.
“There are other horses in the race that go well too and there’s no reason why one of them couldn’t win.”
Nicholls, faultless aboard Red Wraith on Darwin Cup Day, partnered the horse last October when he won his first Alice Springs race following his arrival from South Australia.
Fellow Top End jockey Sonja Logan, who has also had success aboard Red Wraith in the past, retains the ride on Garrucha (57kg) on Sunday.
Horse racing news
