Finally, they’re back racing in the Red Centre on Saturday.
The Alice Springs Turf Club was set to kick off 2023 last Sunday, but Pioneer Park was recovering following work to the track over the festive period before unseasonal rain dumped 130mm in early January.
There might only be five events this weekend, but you’ll be hard pressed to settle on a winner with confidence in every race.
The last meeting was December 18, but according to ASTC race-caller Dylan Bairstow the dirt surface has come up a treat and it’s full steam ahead with fine weather predicted come race day.
“There was just general remedial work done – for instance getting the levels right on the cambers,” Bairstow said.
“The grader comes on and flicks the dirt from side to side and gets the cambers back right, and lay it back down.
“The cambers on the corners – they’ve got to be at a certain degree, a bit like a velodrome so you can make ground out wide.
“The 1200m shoot had more sand and extra oil added as it was getting a little light on.
“We got affected with the rain – quite a bad trough came through and we got held up.
“We had 100mm in one day, it was ridiculous – astronomical really.
“It just held up everything for a week, it took a while for the track to dry out.
“The track is looking good now and it should hold us in good stead for the upcoming Carnival.
“We’ve had track work for three weeks now.
“We just played it on the safe side – the powers above just thought we’d put it all back a week and give the horses an extra week to get a bit fitter.
“They should be all ready to run.
“We’ve had a mild summer, but we’ve had a little bit of a hot week – but it’s still manageable.
“It’s been under 40C, which is good.
“When it’s always in the 30s it’s not too bad, so with a fine day on Saturday it should be a good day’s racing.”
Looking to first race over 1100m (0-58), Fair Go is looking to make it three straight wins after saluting over 1400m and 1600m in December.
“Fair Go is in good form, but it’s hard to drop back from a mile back to 1100m and its form at that distance is just fair,” Bairstow said.
“Big concern, I would have thought – maybe Me Cabo or City Jet.
“They’re both more the 1100m type, they’re probably the ones to beat.”
Mackinaw was a brilliant last start winner over 1100m (0-58) five weeks ago, but steps up in grade over 1100m (0-64).
“It gets the steer of young Darwin apprentice Emma Lines, who claims 4kg,” Bairstow said.
“Mackinaw can miss the start on occasions, but if it jumps to the front – which he normally does – it should be a good ride for her.
“Ninety per cent of the time he jumps clean and jumps to the front, it will find the rail.
“Radio Room is a threat – perhaps just on the short side and gets a long way back in his races, but he definitely will be strong at the finish.”
The feature event is over 1100m (0-70), and although small in numbers Bairstow argues that it’s actually a decent five-horse field.
“Delago Lad’s won four out five at the track,” he said.
“Kerioth is one for one and knocked off Delago Lad – I just thought the way Kerioth won he won like a horse that is likely going to be a quality Carnival horse.
“He seemed to really travel strongly throughout, which can at times go against horses first time in the dirt, but he won with a bit of authority and I reckon he’ll be hard to beat again with the services of the Territory’s best rider Jarrod Todd.”
The final two races are over 1000m having attracted big fields for the BM54 runners and maiden performers, and according to Bairstow finding two winners is tricky.
“I thought Esahi had a chance with a 4kg claim – she has drawn barrier one and it will probably find the front,” he said.
“It’s a little bit weak at the end of its races, but back to the 1000m it should get its chance.
“In the lucky last, the maiden, there’s a little tip around for Artie Star despite drawing a wide gate.
“I watched it work the other day, it worked better than a maiden galloper, so if it brings its work to the races it’s definitely a good each-way play that’s for sure.
“First up here it got its tongue over the bit and was poor.
“Second start here it was in a 0-58, she actually got a long way back and ran on good.”
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