Alice Springs will race for the final time this season on Sunday, headlined by another heat of the Red Centre Winter Series.
A concept devised by Thoroughbred Racing Northern Territory for the mid-range sprinters, the seventh of eight $20,000 heats takes place at Pioneer Park as horses strive to qualify for the $40,000 final over 1200m (BM66) on August 25.
The Winter Series kicked off last year with the Lisa Whittle-trained Liberty Blue (Sonja Wiseman) saluting in the final with this year’s promotion kicking off in May.
It’s rare to see a $40,000 race in the NT outside the Alice Springs and Darwin Cup Carnivals, but the Alice Springs Turf Club’s Winter Series and Darwin Turf Club’s Lightning Wet Season Series were introduced to generate interest in the off-season.
Horses pick up points in heats based on where they finish in their quest to make the final, but to be eligible for the final a horse must have at least one start in a heat.
A maximum of 12 horses can contest the Alice Springs and Darwin final and should the highest qualifiers not start they will be replaced by a runner based on order of merit.
Terry Gillett’s Brat, who has won two heats, leads the way on 10 points in the Red Centre Winter Series from Dan Morgan’s Boy Big, on seven points, who won the previous heat at Pioneer Park a fortnight ago.
Ray Viney’s Kickatorp, Kerry Petrick’s Real Divine and James Carroll’s Truckload Of Hoffa are on five points after winning the other three heats.
Greg Connor’s pair Manhattan Man and Toffiato, along with Will Savage’s Speed Wheel and Rene Taylor’s Tycoons Dior are on four points.
Heat seven is up for decision at Pioneer Park over 1200m (0-64) this weekend with Brat making his third appearance, while Savage’s stablemates Talent Quest and Threetimeslucky, Viney’s Square Cut and Paul Gardner’s I’m Dun Deelin’ will feature in their second heat.
Carroll’s Excuses Excuses, Whittle’s Freedom Day, Connor’s Radio Room, and Gardner’s duo Bear Forever and Soccer Ball will contest their first heat.
They may have left it too late to qualify for the final unless they impress this weekend and secure further points in the eighth heat over 1200m (BM54) on August 12.
After winning two heats, Brat stepped up in grade and could only manage a fifth behind stablemate Supreme Times over 1200m (BM66) two weeks ago – he will find it a lot easier this weekend and is definitely among the main hopes.
Square Cut was a first up winner in Alice Springs over 1000m (0-58) on June 4 before a last start second over 1100m (0-58) three weeks ago, while Talent Quest did little wrong on his NT debut when second behind Boy Big over 1100m (BM54) a fortnight ago in the Winter Series’ sixth heat.
Excuses Excuses, Freedom Day, Radio Room, Bear Forever and I’m Dun Deelin’ have also tasted success at Pioneer Park in the past, so it should prove an interesting race.
Meanwhile, the feature event during the final meeting of the 2022/23 season is a $21,500 1400m handicap (0-70) where Gillett’s Valley Prince (Dakota-Lee Gillett), Savage’s Broad Outlook (Emma Lines) and Kym Healy’s Taipan Tommy (Stan Tsaikos) should be battling it out for honours.
Valley Prince is getting close after two narrow seconds in July over 1400m (BM76) behind Desert Lass – who is in the Top End looking for a start in the Darwin Cup – and 1200m (BM68) behind stablemate Supreme Times.
In contrast, Broad Outlook, a narrow second over 1600m (BM54) when he debuted in Alice in June, steps up in grade after posting two wins during July over 1400m (0-58) and 1600m (0-64).
After two disappointing performances in Darwin, Taipan Tommy returns to the Red Centre where he had three wins and a second from four starts during Cup Carnival in April before claiming the Tennant Creek Cup (1600m) in May.
Viney’s Kummerlings, who has had eight wins and 15 minor placings from 54 starts at Pioneer Park, has a habit of pulling off the unexpected win and was in fact a last start winner over 1400m (0-64) in June.
In the other three races on the program, Whittle’s Miss Miduki over 1200m (BM54), Tycoons Dior over 1000m (0-58) and Viney’s Quizzle over 1400m (Class 2) won’t be that far away at the finish.
For the first time, Dick Leech and Sonja Wiseman ended the Alice Springs and Provincial premiership season as the leading trainer and jockey.
Unfortunately, Leech (27 wins), a long-time trainer in the NT, and Wiseman (26), a Darwin-based jockey, won’t be at Pioneer Park on Sunday to celebrate their achievement among their fellow peers.
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