With speculation surrounding the future of star mare Dakota Lee, a big day at Tennant Creek on Saturday would be the perfect distraction for Alice Springs trainer Terry Gillett.
Gillett has four runners on the six-event program for the annual Tennant Creek Cup Day meeting at Hagan Park.
Great Buy, Brat and Protostar were all early favourites with horse racing bookmakers on Wednesday, while Valley Prince is a strong contender.
Gillett had a respectable Alice Springs Cup Carnival during March and April with five wins, including Dakota Lee’s Cup Day win on April 7.
The five-year-old mare’s future is in doubt due to some issues getting into the barriers, but for now, Gillett’s focus is on Tennant Creek.
Great Buy has had 17 starts for Gillett for five wins and has missed the top four on two occasions.
Fifth in the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) in April, the seven-year-old gelding is a serious chance in the $30,000 Tennant Creek Cup (1600m).
Brat, with eight wins and eight minor placings in 26 starts for the stable, can strike in the $21,500 Denis Staunton Memorial Cup (1200m) at 0-70 level.
The five-year-old gelding finished third behind Dakota Lee on Alice Springs Cup Day and ran fourth last start over 1200m on April 20.
Valley Prince, a six-year-old gelding, has had 41 starts for nine wins and 12 minor placings at the top level and must be respected over 1450m in 0-64 grade.
Protostar boasted a win, two seconds, a third and a fourth from his first five Alice starts before a last-start seventh two weeks ago after blowing the start.
The five-year-old gelding is certainly in the mix over 1200m at Class 2 level.
Gillett, who won the 2020/21 Alice Springs trainers’ premiership, finished second the next two years and sits third this season behind Paul Gardner (19) and Kerry Petrick (18.5) with 16 wins.
“Terry has four genuine hopes on Saturday, and to win both Cups would be a rare achievement,” Thoroughbred Racing NT chief executive officer Andrew O’Toole said.
“Angela Forster has won the Tennant Creek Cup three times with Lotion (twice) and Starouz — she makes the trip from Darwin with the competitive Command King.
“Will Savage’s Fantasy Eagle and Brut Star were second and fourth last start, while Dan Morgan’s Barocco Bar is good enough on his day.”
Gillett’s daughter and apprentice Dakota, back home after a stint with Adelaide trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly, partners her dad’s quartet on Saturday.
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