The Terry Gillett-trained Supreme Times was among the standouts on the five-race card at Alice Springs on Sunday – the penultimate meeting of the 2022/23 season at Pioneer Park.
Having trailed his stablemate Supreme Attraction in his last four victories, the $4.40 chance ended a six-race drought when he saluted in the main event – the $24,500 BMNT 68 Handicap over 1200m.
After trailing early pacemakers Liberty Blue and Brat on Sunday, Supreme Times and stablemate Valley Prince made their moves at the 400m approaching the final bend.
Into the home straight and with 350m to go, the seven-year-old gelding joined the leaders on the inside as Valley Prince headed four wide, while Greg Connor’s Flying Start was also making ground along the fence.
With 200m to go, Supreme Times was in good shape under jockey Stan Tsaikos and held on to overcome Valley Prince by 0.59 lengths with Flying Start, among the best horses in the NT this time last year, 1.2 lengths adrift in third place.
Alice Springs R2 replay – Supreme Times
For the son of Supreme Class it was his eighth win from 26 starts at Pioneer Park, where he has also finished among the minor placings on seven occasions.
Having displayed signs in his past two starts that he could be getting back to his best, Flying Start – Alice Springs’ horse of the year for 2022 – has now gone nine races in the Red Centre without a win since saluting on Darwin Cup Day on August 1 last year.
Lisa Whittle, who won yet another Alice Springs trainers’ premiership last season, posted her first win back in Central Australia since February 18 when five-year-old mare Miss Miduki got the cash on her NT debut.
After relocating back to South Australia at the end of summer, Whittle raced Harpuna twice at Pioneer Park in the autumn prior to the Alice Springs Cup Carnival with Miss Miduki and Liberty Blue representing the stable on Sunday.
The $5.50 chance was never far away from the leaders after settling on fence, but at the 600m the daughter of Bel Esprit left the inside route and found a gap up the middle before inexplicably drifting to the outside once straightening for home.
Kevin Lamprecht’s $6 hope Lisa, who shared the early lead with Bear Forever, posed the biggest threat over the concluding 300m with Miss Miduki somehow getting to the front before prevailing by 0.4 lengths with Will Savage’s $15 chance Redenzo Lad flashing home along the rails for third.
Alice Springs R1 replay – Miss Miduki
Having held a big lead over 1200m the previous Sunday before tiring and finishing fourth, the Dan Morgan-trained five-year-old gelding Boy Big finally achieved victory in Alice Springs at the ninth attempt.
Boy Big, who won a maiden for Bendigo trainer Kym Hann during last year’s Darwin Cup Carnival before joining Jess Gleeson’s Alice stable, started as the $2.25 favourite on Sunday and after trailing the early leaders swooped down the outside with 100m remaining to seal the win.
The son of Vancouver ended up downing Savage’s $8 fancy Talent Quest and Gillett’s $7 contender Family Ties – both doing a fine job after setting the early pace with Talent Quest sitting three wide.
Alice Springs R4 replay – Boy Big
Broad Outlook made it back to back wins in as many weeks for the Savage yard with the five-year-old gelding prevailing by a length in just its third Alice start after taking the lead at the 1100m once entering the back straight.
The son of No Nay Never, second on debut over 1600m (BM54) on June 18, continued to set the pace and kicked away at the 600m, but once turning for home Paul Gardner’s Miss McGregor applied the blow torch after clicking into gear at the 800m.
Broad Outlook and Miss McGregor fought it out over the final 300m, but the latter couldn’t bridge the gap as the $2.40 favourite fell over the line with Carrol Hunter’s $4.60 candidate Norse Mythology third.
Alice Springs R5 replay – Broad Outlook
Lek Maloney, along with Gillett and Lines, made it another win for the apprentices by guiding three-year-old gelding Flying Yishu to victory on his NT debut for the Connor yard from stablemate Danny Whizzbang, starting at $14, and Savage’s $26 outsider Paketta.
After missing the start, the son of Flying Artie continued to make up ground and found the fence at the 700m before gobbling up the leaders over the concluding 100m when Gillett’s Jen’s Reward appeared the likely winner halfway down the straight.
Alice Springs R3 replay – Flying Yishu
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