Top End trainer Tayarn Halter is eyeing the feature races at Kununurra and Darwin on Saturday.
Halter, who had four winners at Kununurra last weekend, has Kippax lining up in the $32,500 Kununurra Cup (1800m), and Expert Witness will start in a high-quality BM76 race over 1000m at Fannie Bay.
Based at the WA location where she will have seven runners on the second day of the Kununurra Cup Carnival, Halter will refer to her phone to check on the fortunes of three runners during Darwin’s first meeting of the season.
Kippax debuted in Darwin in May and hit form once stepping up to the longer distances, finishing third in the Buntine Handicap (2050m) on July 22 and second over 2050m in open company on August 7.
The son of Tavistock was fourth in the Katherine Cup (1700m) a fortnight ago before beating off Boom Boom Sweet to win over 1800m at Kununurra last Saturday.
“Kippax was good in Darwin when he got up to the right distances,” Halter said.
“He ran a nice race over a mile, then he was disappointing in his second mile.
“He just didn’t handle it that day – he got back and he was getting a lot of dirt in his face.
“Then he stepped up and ran two placings over 2050m.
“He was looking for ground, but obviously you’ve got to start off in shorter ones to get them going.
“Hopefully, he might be a nice stayer for us next year if he keeps improving.”
Kippax had 36 starts in NSW and Queensland for three wins from 1600-2200m.
He didn’t have much luck on the sand at Katherine when flattened at the start, but bounced back on the Kununurra grass when he basically led throughout.
“I thought his run in Katherine was creditable, as he lost three lengths at the start,” Halter said.
“That’s racing, but it put him out of the race early.
“I thought he made good ground in the run to the line.
“On the grass here at Kununurra, it’s a different level of racing.
“He raced genuine and honest last Saturday.
“He got to travel up on the pace and didn’t get far out of his ground – it suited him nicely.
“We were surprised when he got that position up on the speed.
“He travelled well and we always knew that he would keep going.”
Fellow NT trainers Dick Leech and Kerry Petrick help form the Kununurra Cup field.
Leech, who won the Cup last year with Lunch Session, has Hollerbyebaby and King’s Star, while Petrick will start Boom Boom Sweet, Dip Me Lid and Mangione.
There are six races at Kununurra on Saturday, with Darwin jockey Adam Nicholls, who rode four winners for Halter and a winner for Petrick last weekend, partnering Kippax, Pocket Pistol, Don’t Wait, Hattan Man, Karaoke Express and Raffalli for Halter.
Halter’s other runner, More Snitzel, will be ridden by Alice Springs jockey Phillip Crich.
“Adam is on fire and congratulations to him – he rode the track beautiful last Saturday,” Halter said.
“Credit to him, he just went fantastic and he rode every race terrific.
“Our horses are backing up three weeks in a row.
“They’re all looking well and feeling well, so we’re just hoping they can hold up and we’ll have our fingers crossed that we can have another good day.”
Meanwhile, Expert Witness, with 62kg on his back, makes his return from injury 830km up the road at Darwin.
Second in the Pioneer Sprint (1200m) at Alice Springs in late April, he returned at the start of the Darwin Cup Carnival in early July, winning over 1100m in open grade.
Unfortunately, the five-year-old gelding missed the Palmerston Sprint (1200m) and Montgomerie Lightning (1000m) in early August.
“It’s a good field on Saturday, but he’s a pretty good horse,” Halter said.
“We just had foot abscess dramas over Carnival and then we thought we had him right.
“Then he hurt himself on a fence and he just wanted right, so I had to scratch him from the Lightning on Cup Day because his leg swelled up.
“He’s been working well and doing everything right.
“It’s the first time he’s ever carried that kind of weight, but he’s a solid little horse and we’ll just see how he goes.”
Fellow Top End trainer Chloe Baxter and apprentice Jade Hampson, returning from a back injury following a fall at Fannie Bay on July 1, have been running the show for Halter and partner Lindsay Schmidt back in Darwin.
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