| What | 2023 Alice Springs Cup Carnival – Day 2 |
| Where | Pioneer Park Racecourse – Stuart Hwy, Connellan NT 0870 |
| When | Saturday, April 15, 2023 |
| First Race | 1:37pm ACST |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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It’s Day 2 of the Alice Springs Cup Carnival with $194,300 up for grabs on Saturday’s seven-event program at Pioneer Park. The $50,000 NT Guineas (1600m) is the feature, but looking ahead to the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) and $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) on April 30, the $26,300 Open Handicap (1900m) in race four and The Soldier Lightning Handicap (1000m) will attract plenty of interest. There will be 66 runners on deck at Pioneer Park, and with the prospect of rain it should make for an interesting day of racing.
It hasn’t rained in the Red Centre since April 4 (0.4mm), and although sunny conditions are forecasted for Friday, there’s a 90 per cent chance of rain on Saturday with up to 10-45mm expected. Showers are likely for most of the day with the chance of a thunderstorm. Winds could reach up to 40km/h from the north-northwest before shifting to the south-southwest with a top temperature of 26C. The rail will once again be in the true position and it will be a good dirt surface.
Best Bet: Ankle Rolex
Not only is it the prominent race for the three-year-olds during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival, but the NT Guineas is also the third biggest race in the Territory for the three-year-olds behind the $135,000 NT Derby and $75,000 Darwin Guineas held during the Darwin Cup Carnival. The Top End gelding will start as a very short-priced favourite after comfortably winning the two lead up races at Pioneer Park over 1200m by 4.8 lengths on March 19 and by three lengths over 1400m by three lengths on April 1. The son of Cable Bay started as the $1.55 betting site favourite last start and although it’s risky declaring him as a certainty it will come as a major surprise if Ankle Rolex doesn’t win. Two wins on New Year’s Eve (1100m) and on Australia Day (1200m) at Fannie Bay were punctuated by two fifths over 1200m (0-58) and 1100m against the three and four-year-olds. Simply, Ankle Rolex should be far too classy.
Best Bet
Race 7 – 
#1 Ankle Rolex (5)
3yo Gelding | T: Patrick Johnson | J: Jade Hampson (58kg)
Bet with Bet365
Next Best: Norse Mythology
With rain predicted, Norse Mythology comes into serious contention once again after a last start win at Pioneer Park a fortnight ago over 1200m (0-64) when the dirt surface was left in a wet and muddy state following 19.6mm of rain that fell in the Alice Springs region. The six-year-old gelding looked good en route to victory in his debut appearance in the Red Centre, but he will have his hands full on this occasion as he goes up in weight, jumps from a wide gate and has to contend with 10 other runners. The son of Real Saga had 23 starts in Queensland for three wins and nine minor placings before joining the Clarke stable in Darwin. A fourth over 1200m (0-66) last June in his Fannie Bay debut was followed by a close second over 1300m (0-66) the following month during the Darwin Cup Carnival. Failed to fire a shot in three SA starts earlier this year, but there was a lot to like on April 1.
Next Best
Race 1 – 
#2 Norse Mythology (10)
6yo Gelding | T: Gary Clarke | J: Jarrod Todd (60.5kg)
Bet with Neds
Best Value: Venting
It’s officially the last hit out before the Alice Springs Cup (2000m) on April 30 and Venting has got to win on Saturday to get an automatic start in the Red Centre’s biggest race. Last year’s NT Derby (2050m) winner in Darwin has done little wrong in two starts at Pioneer Park this preparation. The four-year-old gelding was a first up winner over 1400m (0-64) on March 19 before producing a big finish from the back of the field to finish 0.8 lengths behind Mug’s Game over 1600m (0-70) on April 1. Apart from his triumph at Fannie Bay last year, the son of Star Witness has only achieved three wins in 18 career starts – both wins coming over 1400m. Venting finished a narrow second over 2387m (BM64) at Warrnambool in January, so the longer trips are no concern. Two further starts over 2407m and 2150m in Victoria before heading to the Alice suggests that the Cup was clearly on the agenda.
Best Value
Race 4 – 
#8 Venting (9)
4yo Gelding | T: Kerry Petrick | J: Paul Denton (55kg)
Bet with Betfair
Saturday quaddie tips for Alice Springs races
Alice Springs quadrella selections
Saturday, April 15, 2023
- 1-2-5-8
- 2-7
- 1-2-3
- 1-3
Investment: $for 100%
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