Neil Dyer will chase his first Alice Springs Cup win after five-year-old gelding Hettinger landed the $35,000 St Patrick’s Day Cup (1600m) at Pioneer Park on Sunday.
It was the Alice Springs Cup Carnival’s Day 1 feature, and Hettinger, a star in the NT last year, certainly impressed after only arriving in town last Monday.
Hettinger (54kg) was +800 before late support saw him start as the +170 favourite with horse racing bookies, and once pinging the gates, the son of I Am Invincible settled in front on the fence and had Terry Gillett’s That’s Justified (62kg) for company.
Kym Healy’s Equal Balance, Kerry Petrick’s Venting, and Dick Leech’s Century Fox – camped three deep – weren’t far behind.
Passing the 500m, Hettinger and That’s Justified were still inseparable, while Venting and Century Fox – both lumping 57.5kg – were eye-balling each other a further two lengths adrift.
Swinging for home at the 350m, Venting was forced three deep in his quest to catch the leaders; fourth-placed Century Fox was four deep rounding the final bend.
At the 200m, it got exciting as Venting (+360) was making ground on the front-runners before Hettinger kicked clear to win by 1.6 lengths with Century Fox ($4.80) storming home for second from Venting and the fading That’s Justified (+400).
It was perhaps meant to be for Hettinger, as he had Darwin jockey Aaron Sweeney, an Irishman, for company on St Patrick’s Day.
For Hettinger to prevail first-up, it augurs well for Dyer as he prepares for the $40,000 Chief Ministers Cup (1600m) in two weeks before the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup.
“Hettinger has done a fantastic job after leaving for Alice just a week ago,” Dyer said.
“Two hot days and one night on the road before spending the rest of the week doing slow work.
“He will take heaps out of that run today.”
Dyer and his son James brought six horses to Alice Springs before Neil returned to Victoria on Wednesday; he will return before the Carnival ends.
With Hawks Bay (2011 and 2012) and Royal Request (2017) saluting in the Darwin Cup, the closest Dyer has come to winning the Alice Springs Cup was with third-placed Palmyra Boy in 2012.
Winless after 16 starts for Michael Maroney, Kris Lees and Dyer, Hettinger comfortably won over 1400m (BM54) last June in his only Red Centre appearance.
Arriving in Darwin before Cup Carnival, he won over 1600m (0-58) before a close fourth behind 2022 NT Derby winner Venting over 1600m (0-64).
In four Darwin Cup Carnival starts, the gelding was victorious over 1600m (0–66) and was fourth behind Noir De Rue in the weight-for-age Chief Ministers Cup (1600m).
A second over 1600m (0-70) was followed by another second behind 2023 NT Guineas winner Century Fox over 1600m (BM72) on Cup Day in August.
Two weeks later, Hettinger – with Sweeney aboard – won the Katherine Cup (1700m) by 7.5 lengths.
Hettinger returned to racing in February and was unplaced at Moonee Valley (1200m and 1600m) and Hamilton (1400m).
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