In-form trainer Dick Leech was having a dirty day at Alice Springs’ Pioneer Park on Sunday before ending the day with victory in the St Patrick’s Day Cup (1600m).
Lethal Encounter, with champion Darwin jockey Jarrod Todd on board, made it four straight wins when he decimated his rivals at 0-70 level by almost five and a half lengths.
Not a bad effort considering the five-year-old gelding was stepping up to the 1600m for the first time.
In early December, the son of Squamosa had a rating of 55 when third over 1200m (0-58) – since then his stocks have soared and on Sunday he made a number of likely Alice Springs Cup aspirants look second rate.
Wins over 1400m (Class 2) on December 19, 1200m (Class 2) on January 28 and 1400m (0-64) on February 11 saw Lethal Encounter’s rating rise to 66 and victory in the St Patrick’s Day Cup justified his inclusion.
Little separated Lethal Encounter ($5), Jet Jackson ($4.40 fav), Festival Of Light ($4.80), Dip Me Lid ($5) and Boom Boom Sweet ($6) in the betting, with Fantasy Eagle ($12), Lunch Session ($15) and Sienna’s Choice ($17) also capable of making a statement in a very open $31,500 feature.
There wasn’t much difference when it came to the weights either, which adds further merit to the former Victorian galloper’s victory.
Having won 13 races at the past seven meetings in the Red Centre, Leech looked set to have another big day during Sunday’s six-event program as his runners were either running hot or were expected make an impact.
Not the case as Early Crow ($1.85 fav) and Kerioth ($2.30 fav) failed to run a place, while third-placed Barani ($2.90) proved no match for the Top End’s Ankle Rolex ($2.20 fav) in the 1200m race for the three-year-olds.
Envenomate, Yowza and Bear Forerver, to be fair, were disappointing, while in contrast Superior Power and Lunch Session were far from disgraced.
Lethal Encounter settled seventh when they jumped on Sunday as Lunch Session (Jade Hampson), Mark Nyhan’s Jet Jackson (Sonja Wiseman) and Will Savage’s Sienna’s Choice (Stan Tsaikos) battled for the lead turning into the back straight.
Sienna’s Choice led Jet Jackson and Lunch Session passing the 1100m with Kerry Petrick’s pair Boom Boom Sweet (Paul Denton) and Dip Me Lid (Phillip Crich) and Savage’s Fantasy Eagle (Ianish Luximon) ahead of Lethal Encounter and Trevor Montgomerie’s Festival Of Light (Casey Hunter) at the tail.
Little changed leaving the back straight at the 700m before the backmarkers started to make ground – including Lethal Encounter, who accelerated quickly along the rails to pass the labouring Boom Boom Sweet.
Fantasy Eagle found himself in last place, but he too started to make ground along the fence as Dip Me Lid and Festival Of Light failed to muster any pressure.
Negotiating the final bend, Lethal Encounter had left the fence to round the three leaders and once turning for home it was all over with 200m to go as Leech’s charger was well clear before easing up at the line.
Fantasy Eagle finished full of running to pip Sienna’s Choice for second and Lunch Session held on doggedly for fourth, while it was hard to mount a case for the others.
“Lethal Encounter was very good – he ended what had been a sour day for Leech and Todd on a good note,” Pioneer Park race-caller Dylan Bairstow said on Sunday night.
“He has been progressing well and was stepping up in grade.
“In the end, he ran the mile out strongly to suggest that if he keeps improving he’ll probably head towards the Cup, I would imagine.
“He was really travelling down the side before Todd pulled him out where he started to sneak up on the leaders.
“By the time he got there Todd hadn’t even pushed the buttons – Lethal Encounter won with a lot in hand.”
If the Alice Springs Cup (2000m) beckons for Lethal Encounter on April 30, then perhaps the Chief Ministers Cup (1600m) on April 22 would also be a consideration.
Based on his win on Sunday, the gelding is capable of making waves during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival starting April 8.
“The Chief Ministers Cup, well, it’s another step up again,” Bairstow said.
“That was only 0-70 grade today, then you’ve got to go to weight-for-age conditions of the Chief Ministers, so that tests them out.
“You get on level weights with some better horses.
“I wouldn’t say he is the one to beat if he starts – I’m not sure what’s going to be here by then, but he needs to keep improving.
“The win today was as good as it could be anyway.
“His record in Alice Springs is terrific – he seems to really love the track.”
After nine winless starts in Victoria, Lethal Encounter arrived in the Red Centre last July and finished fourth in a 1200m maiden on debut before winning his next start over 1200m (BM54).
He was then placed on three occasions on the Kununurra grass in WA in August and September before returning from a spell in late November where he finished sixth over 1200m (Class 2).
Since then he has excelled.
Bairstow agreed that there were a few disappointments in the St Patrick’s Day Cup, but at the same time praised the Savage stable.
“Festival Of Light missed the start and sort of got back and never got into the race,” he said.
“Boom Boom Sweet was disappointing, same sort of thing – sat mid field and never really improved.
“In the end, all honours with the winner.
“You can’t take anything away from it – sat mid field and just bolted in.
“Sienna’s Choice went forward and improved with Stan Tsaikos, while Fantasy Eagle ran on nicely as well from the back.
“The Savage pair filled the minor money and they actually gapped the rest, but Lethal Encounter made it a bit of a one-act affair really.”
Savage won the corresponding race last year with Masaru Warrior, who has since passed, with Tsaikos in the saddle.
Alice Springs 19/3/23- St Patrick’s Day Cup Race Replay – Race 6
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