Race 1 – Centreline Saddlery 0-70 Handicap (1000m)
After a disappointing last start fourth as favourite the previous week, Like A Heartbeat bounced back to form to seal a narrow victory with a late finishing burst along the rails.
Like A Heartbeat was seemingly no chance with 600m to go as the in-form Harpuna ($2.00 fav), going for three straight wins, and Arrogant Miss looked like fighting it out after shaking off Lisa.
Harpuna jumped Arrogant Miss down the home straight and looked set to celebrate until stablemate Like A Heartbeat finished strongly along the fence to edge out his stablemate – and thus secure trainer Lisa Whittle the quinella.
Results
| Horse (barrier) | Jockey (kg) | Trainer | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | #4 Like A Heartbeat (5) | Sonja Wiseman (55.5) | Lisa Whittle | $5 |
| 2nd | #1 Harpuna (4) | Paul Denton (59) | Lisa Whittle | $2F |
| 3rd | #2 Arrogant Miss (2) | Jessie Philpot (58.5) | Russell Bell | $5 |
Margins: 0.2L x 1.8L
Time: 57.45 (Last 600m – 33.46)
Race 2 – Araluen Taxation Services 0-58 Handicap (1000m)
The unpredictable White Kaps was travelling beautifully in second place behind the pilot Madame Duporth and seemingly looked the winner a fair way from home.
Madame Duporth hit the wall turning for home before Tycoons Dior and Butterfingers set off to catch the front runner White Kaps. Heart Of Red and Harbour Express ($3.40 fav) were a fair way behind.
Tycoons Dior couldn’t bridge the gap to make it four placings in five career starts as White Kaps saluted for the first time since winning in Darwin in May last year. Heart Of Red caught the eye finishing third.
Results
| Horse (barrier) | Jockey (kg) | Trainer | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | #1 White Kaps (4) | Jessie Philpot (59) | Greg Connor | $4 |
| 2nd | #2 Tycoons Dior (6) | Wayne Davis (55.5) | Rene Taylor | $4.20 |
| 3rd | #2 Heart Of Red (5) | Sairyn Fawke (57) | Terry Gillett | $5 |
Margins: 0.5L x 1.5L
Time: 57.75 (Last 600m – 34.27)
Race 3 – Daryl Braithwaite September 17 0-58 Handicap (1000m)
Acres Midnight and Frilly Design shared the lead almost immediately with the latter happy to sit outside the former as Kenneth and Shortball worked their way into the race.
Rhythmical ($2.15 fav), who was a fair way back leaving the back straight after starting poorly, made his move down the side – however he was giving the leaders far too much start.
Acres Midnight was in great shape heading down the home straight and looked like posting his first win since arriving in the Red Centre, but Frilly Design timed her run to perfection to win her first race since July 2021.
Results
| Horse (barrier) | Jockey (kg) | Trainer | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | #1 Frilly Design (3) | Paul Denton (58) | Terry Huish | $2.90 |
| 2nd | #3 Acres Midnight (4) | Stan Tsaikos (55.5) | Terry Gillett | $11 |
| 3rd | #5 Kenneth (2) | Casey Hunter (55) | Ursula Dobbe | $15 |
Margins: 0.3L x 0.5L
Time: 58.21 (Last 600m – 34.20)
Race 4 – Yeperenye Shopping Centre Class 2 Handicap (1100m)
Ananagram ($2.60 fav) was a big winner against maiden opposition the previous week, but was a major disappointment after missing the jump and only fleetingly posed a serious threat.
In contrast, Manhattan Man, runner up in the NT Guineas (1600m) during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival, led despite having Bartolini, one of the outsiders in the race, sitting on his girth.
Turning for home, Bartolini kicked away to win his first race at his sixth start with Shoal River making a mockery of his recent poor form to finish strongly and pip Manhattan Man for second place.
Results
| Horse (barrier) | Jockey (kg) | Trainer | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | #5 Bartolini (3) | Wayne Davis (55.5) | Phil Cole | $17 |
| 2nd | #7 Shoal River (5) | Sairyn Fawke (55.5) | Ray Viney | $26 |
| 3rd | #2 Manhattan Man (2) | Jessie Philpot (58) | Greg Connor | $7 |
Margins: 2.8L x 0.5L
Time: 1.03.53 (Last 600m – 34.05)
Race 5 – Ladbrokes Cash In 0-54 Handicap (1400m)
After 17 starts in the NT without a win, Rockford Files finally made it to the winner’s circle with a last gasp effort in the shadows of the post.
Rockford Files got close on three occasions in April and was never far away on Sunday as last start winner Future Dreams ($2.60 fav) led comfortably from Morphling.
Future Dreams led swinging into the home straight before Morphling took over and she look set for victory for the first time since winning an Alice Springs maiden in November last year before Rockford Files swooped.
Results
| Horse (barrier) | Jockey (kg) | Trainer | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | #5 Rockford Files (2) | Casey Hunter (55.5) | George Cooke | $8.50 |
| 2nd | #6 Morphling (3) | Jessie Philpot (55) | Greg Connor | $2.60F |
| 3rd | #4 Future Dreams (1) | Stan Tsaikos (58.5) | Terry Gillett | $2.60F |
Margins: 0.1L x 0.8L
Time: 1.24.86 (Last 600m – 35.32)
Race 6 – Alice Springs Biggest Xmas Party December 2 0-54 Handicap (1400m)
Dataset ($3.00 fav) was the only favourite to win on Sunday and he won like a good thing – leading from start to finish to prevail by five lengths.
After four wins, four seconds and six thirds from 21 starts at Pioneer Park, Dataset was always a strong chance after toppling Sedona – a handy commodity during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival – at 0-64 level (1450m) at Tennant Creek on May 14.
Winter Harbour was happy sit outside Dataset, who lumped 62kg, before losing touch and in the end it was Bolting Leo who unexpectedly snuck up the rails to finish second thus making it a quinella for trainer Jess Gleeson.
Results
| Horse (barrier) | Jockey (kg) | Trainer | SP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | #1 Dataset (1) | Casey Hunter (62) | Jess Gleeson | $3F |
| 2nd | #3 Bolting Leo (6) | Sonja Wiseman (57) | Jess Gleeson | $9.50 |
| 3rd | #4 Winter Harbour (2) | Paul Denton (56) | Lisa Whittle | $3.80 |
Margins: 5L x 0.8L
Time: 1,23.15 (Last 600m – 36.29)
More horse racing news
