Adelaide apprentice Stacey Callow won’t forget her first trip to the Northern Territory in a hurry.
On Thursday, the 20-year-old won her first race in her first ride at Darwin’s Fannie Bay when she piloted the Phil Cole-trained Looking For You to victory.
Amazingly, Callow pulled off the same feat on Saturday when she made her debut at Pioneer Park on the opening day of the 2022 Alice Springs Cup Carnival.
Stacey, the daughter of well-known Australian jockey Noel Callow, guided Sedona ($3.90 fav) to victory in the Yubu Napa Art Gallery 0-58 Handicap (1200m) for Cole to kick off proceedings in the Red Centre.
Sedona and Yowza (Stan Tsaikos) dominated the race, with the Scott Whittle-trained galloper leading in the back straight before Callow’s mount made his move.
Sedona, a five-year-old gelding, hit the front in the home straight, but Yowza ($4.40) responded along the rails to go down by a neck.
Rojo Boom ($6.50) from the Mark Nyhan stable and with Sonja Wiseman in the saddle was five lengths away in third place.
“Phil didn’t think Sedona was a sure thing, but I’m stoked – made the trip worthwhile,” Callow said.
Double delight for Montgomerie
Port Augusta trainer Trevor Montgomerie has brought a strong team to Alice Springs and he has tasted constant success since arriving in March.
He managed a double when the impressive Tanner ($2.35 fav) took out the Emmie Wehr Parade Ring 0-70 Handicap (1200m) and A Thousand Degrees ($5.50) saluted in the Centreline Saddlery & Country Outfitters 0-62 Handicap (1000m).
It was back-to-back wins for Tanner (Sonja Wiseman) and victory will seriously enhance the five-year-old gelding’s hopes of starting in the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) on May 1.
Tanner ran to pick up points and Montgomerie was confident he could win if he could back up from his previous start.
He eased to the front on Saturday before Bar Gem (Jessie Philpot), from the Greg Connor stable, loomed up on the outside after giving his rivals a decent start after missing the jump.
The two popular picks then sat down to fight it out with Bar Gem ($4.40) hitting the front in the home straight before Tanner fought back along the rails.
Tanner did nothing wrong for the entire race to prevail by a head, but Bar Gem was a certainty beaten.
The Terry Gillett-trained Military Road (Stan Tsaikos), starting at $7, was five lengths adrift in third place.
A Thousand Degrees (Wayne Kerford) made it two wins in three starts on the dirt of Central Australia with a win that was full of merit.
The seven-year-old gelding, who finished second in his other start in Alice Springs, travelled three wide outside the early leaders following a mad dash at the start before making his move at the 600m.
He took off in the home straight to lead by three length and although he tired close to home A Thousand Degrees was in no danger of defeat with Dick Leech’s fast-finishing $12 hope Halgard (Sonja Wiseman) and Will Savage’s $81 bolter Redenzo Lad (Casey Hunter) filling the minor placings.
Kyd Rock makes some noise for Peacock
Some horses just love it at Pioneer Park, and that includes Kyd Rock from the stable of Murray Bridge’s John Peacock, who is a regular supporter of the Alice Springs Cup Carnival.
The eight-year-old gelding made it seven wins from 20 starts in the Red Centre since 2019 with victory in the Restaurant 1690 0-58 Handicap (1200m).
Starting at the juicy odds of $16, Kyd Rock (Casey Hunter) – who has a string of minor placings in Alice Springs – was backing up after finishing fourth the previous week against similar opposition over 1100m.
After jumping well from a wide gate, he settled in fourth place before making his move approaching the home straight.
Kicking clear, Kyd Rock overcame Kevin Lamprecht’s Rhythmical (Ianish Luximon) on the inside and Ray Viney’s Debbonaire Boy (Jessie Philpot) on the outside with both starting at the respective odds of $15 and $8.50.
Miles Prower improves on stellar record
The classy Miles Prower (Jessie Philpot) was the fifth favourite to salute on the program after winning the Ladbrokes Same Race Multi 0-66 Handicap (1100m) for the Greg Connor stable.
The five-year-old gelding is one of the best horses in Alice Springs having had 10 starts for five wins, two seconds and two thirds.
Returning from a spell the previous week, Miles Prower finished fourth against 0-70 opposition before striking back in emphatic style.
Miles Power ($3.80) settled nicely in third place from gate nine behind Jess Gleeson’s Dataset (Wayne Keford) and Terry Gillett’s Extractions (Stan Tsaikos) before being forced four wide when Phil Cole’s Colhoun (Wayne Davis) arrived on the scene.
Philpot eased Miles Prower off, but once turning for home he rounded the trio to seal victory with Colhoun ($6) and Extractions ($8.50) filling the minor placings.
More horse racing news
