The Alice Springs Cup Carnival is arguably the biggest sporting event on the sporting calendar in Central Australia.
Many argue it’s the Finke Desert Race over the June long weekend or the bi-annual Alice Springs Masters Games.
It’s a matter of conjecture, but the Cup Carnival puts the Alice Springs Turf Club on the map throughout Australia and overseas with live television coverage.
There was up to $1.075 million in prizemoney up for grabs over the five-days of racing in the Red Centre starting on April 9 culminating with Cup Day on the first Sunday in May.
The two feature races on the final day were the $110,000 Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup (2000m) and $100,000 Alice Springs Toyota Pioneer Sprint (1200m).
The Pioneer Sprint was previously raced on the Saturday before the Alice Springs Cup two days later on the first Monday in May.
In 2020, the ASTC elected to schedule the final two days on Friday and Sunday with the two feature races on Cup Day.
For ASTC chief executive officer Tom Slattery it was his third Cup Carnival – an occasion he described as “fantastic” once the dust finally settled at the iconic Pioneer Park.
“Ladies Day started and set the tone for the Carnival really, great crowd,” he said.
“Easter in the middle for Guineas Day made it a bit awkward, but that’s the way it goes.
“Family day followed, it was fabulous to see kids running around everywhere.
“Obviously from last Thursday night with the Racing Minister’s reception it intensified.
“Friday with the luncheon with Johnny Tapp and Darren McAullay – which was a sell out.
“The horse sale followed in the evening after the five races, which featured the Queen Of The Desert – the feature event for the fillies and mares during the Carnival.
“The Calcutta on Saturday afternoon was a great success, and then nine races on Sunday.”
Of the 37 races, South Australian trainers Kym Healy (Strathalbyn) won six races, Trevor Montgomerie (Port Augusta) four, Scott Whittle (Strathalbyn) two and John Peacock (Murray Bridge) one.
Trevor Montgomerie, who brought a team of horses up the Stuart Highway to Alice Springs for the first time, made a huge impression and enjoyed great success posting 10 wins.
Northern Territory trainers dominated the other races, including the feature races.
On Day 1, Alice Springs’ Terry Gillett won the $25,000 Seppelt Wines Handicap (1200m) with Supreme Times (Stan Tsaikos) and $25,000 Yeperenye Shopping Centre Handicap (1400m) with That’s Justfied (Jarrod Todd).
On Day 2, Jess Gleeson (Alice Springs) secured the $30,000 Ladbrokes “The Soldier” Lightning (1000m) with Devil’s Temptation (Jarrod Todd), Garry Lefoe Jnr (Darwin) landed the $25,000 Indervon Handicap (1900m) with I Am The Fox, and Greg Connor (Alice Springs) took out the $50,000 NT Guineas (1600m) with Flying Start (Jessie Philpot).
On Day 3, Trevor Montgomerie grabbed the $25,000 Ladbrokes Switch WFA (1200m) with Trident (Sonja Wiseman) and Mark Nyhan (Darwin) picked up the $40,000 Red Centre Technology Partners Chief Ministers Cup (1600m) with Trident (Sonja Wiseman).
Montgomerie tasted success in the $30,000 JJ’s Waste Queen Of The Desert 0-76 Fillies and Mares Handicap (1200m) on Friday with Addictions (Michael Heagney).
Come Sunday, leading Darwin trainers Gary Clarke and Phil Cole won the Cup and Sprint.
Smuggling (Jason Maskiell) made it back to back wins for Cole – along with Greg Connor the leading NT trainer over the five days with four wins – in the Pioneer Sprint before Clarke, who had won every other feature race in the NT, won his first Darwin Cup with Count Of Essex (Jarrod Todd).
Darwin-based Sonja Wiseman was the leading jockey during the Cup Carnival – which included four winners on Day 3 – from Alice Springs-based Jessie Philpot (5) and former South Australian jockey Sairyn Fawke (5), who is now based in Brisbane.
Slattery couldn’t fault the racing on Cup Day.
“They were coming from anywhere – it wasn’t a leaders day, it wasn’t a back-markers day, it was a bit of everything on the day,” he said.
“The actually quality of the racing over the weekend and throughout the whole Carnival was superb, so the track is in fine order.
“That’s a positive.”
In recent times, the ASTC has opened its new restaurant called Sixteen Ninety – which is the circumference of Pioneer Park – and have improved facilities for trainers.
“The restaurant has been trading for a couple of months now,” Slattery said.
“The feedback from the public in regards to the chef, staff and menu has been magnificent.
“It’s a great advertisement for the club and the restaurant.
“We’ve just spent over half a million dollars building new tie-up stalls for the trainers.
“They’re taller and cooler, so that’s going to be great come summer.
“The last of those are nearly finished, but they were all being used during the Carnival – and that will be great asset for the Club to assist trainers in their efforts to produce a horse at its best.”
After a few repairs to the track earlier in the year which saw a few meetings abandoned, it was all systems go in the weeks leading up to the Cup Carnival.
However, Slattery had some words of advice for those who plan to visit Alice Springs next year.
“We would have people asking about tickets for functions from interstate and we just say to them make sure you’ve got your accommodation first,” he said.
“We’re likely to be able to have tickets for you, but you might not be able to have a bed.”
There were countless highlights during the Cup Carnival, but Slattery settled on a few selections.
“Phil Cole and Jason Maskiell winning the Pioneer Sprint back to back with Smuggling was just a great effort,” he said.
“And then for Gary Clarke to win his first Alice Springs Cup, it was pretty emotional.
“It was just great to see Gary pull off a fantastic effort with Count Of Essex and go home with the Cup for himself and wife Sharlene.
“Kym Healy winning three out of five races on Friday – that was a raid from down south and we’d love to see him come back.
“Throughout it all we had Trevor Montgomerie come interstate from Port Augusta – Trevor won 10 races with his little team and did very well.
“The local trainers and jockeys went well.”
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