Andrew O’Toole’s SATURDAY best at Alice Springs (06/12)

An excellent six-race card will be the order of the day in the Red Centre today, with some 45 acceptors for the fixture, the second-last of the year. Local trainer Kerry Petrick has a huge contingent entered for the meeting – no less than 16 horses will carry her colours – and not surprisingly, she looks well placed for a big day in her home town.

That said, in the highest-graded race of the day, the 0-70 Imparja Handicap over 1100m, I am keen on Lisa Whittle’s Demiquaver to repel the four-strong Petrick challenge of Bahama Bay, Tellez, Magic Defense and Black Zous.

Demiquaver, a 4yo daughter of Hallowed Crown from the Fastnet Rock mare Complete Rort, has had just the three runs at Ladbrokes Pioneer Park since relocating from Victoria back in last September. Raced by Greg and Ann Stewart, such great supporters of racing in the Red Centre and of the Whittle stable in particular, Demiquaver began her Territory career with a decisive win over 1200m in BM54 company on 1 November, before repeating the dose over the same trip in a class 2 affair a week later.

She then stepped up markedly in class when taking on a BM76 1200m on 22 November, in which she finished a two-length second to the smart Delago Lad, with Boy Big, a rival again today, third. The time for the 1200m was a slick 1:09.30, and Demiquaver is in effect dropping back in grade here for this assignment. She certainly seems to have taken to the sand and oil-based surface very well and with just 57.5kg to carry here and Sonja Logan in the saddle, she should again be very hard to beat.

Black Zous, who won first-up from a spell on 1 November, should give Demiquaver plenty to worry about. He seems to race best with his runs spaced and with five weeks between outings, he looks capable of another top showing. Stable rider Paul Denton you would imagine would have had the choice of Petrick’s four runners in this event so the fact that he has chosen to stay with Black Zous further enhances his prospects of success.

Grinzinger Lass, trained by Ray Viney and to be ridden by comeback jockey Jess Philpot, never goes a bad race and her last-start third to Our Couver and Altar Boy in open grade was very good, although beaten some seven lengths. This is a good deal easier and from barrier two, she should be able to get a nice run in transit for her rider, who was back in the winner’s circle a fortnight ago only a few short months since giving birth to her first child.

Tellez will no doubt be improved for his first-up fifth to Delago Lad a fortnight ago, and he has done little wrong since being purchased by his trainer at the AS Tried Horse Sale in early April this year. He raced well during the Darwin Cup Carnival, winning on Day 7 in 0-66 grade, and he possesses plenty of quality. Raymond Vigar has the steer today and from the inside gate, he will give plenty of cheek.

The third of the Petrick quartet, Bahama Bay, competed in the same race and like his stablemate, should have derived plenty of improvement from the run, while Magic Defense, the fourth runner for the stable, was also given a pipe-opener in the race won by Delago Lad on 22 November and will be fitter for the run as well.

Boy Big is a specialist here, having won 11 times at Pioneer Park and picking up 17 placings as well from some 43 starts on the track. Greg Connor is having a great run at present and Lek Maloney, who takes 2kg off the horse’s weight of 61kg, has a tremendous affinity with the 8yo son of Vancouver. Qualis completes the line-up and Sheila and Keith Arnold’s stable stalwart is first-up here for over six months, and may need the run.

Other good hopes on the day are Rock Of Kryptonite (Ray Viney/Philpot) in the first, Buckleup Buddy (Petrick/Denton) in the third, Our Squamosa (Petrick/Denton) in race four, while Checkthemenu, trained by Rene Taylor and to be ridden by Vigar, and The Big Freeze, from the Carrol Hunter stable and with Wayne Davis in the saddle, should be mighty hard to beat in the last two events on what is a really good card of racing.

The weather in Alice Springs this week has been fine and sunny, with increasing temperatures. The official forecast for today reads: Mostly sunny. Winds north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h tending west to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the day. The temperature is forecast to reach very warm 42 degrees, and it will be 23 degrees overnight. There is just a 5% chance of any rain.

The first race on the six-race card gets underway at the earlier time of 11.10pm (NT time), which is 12.40pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 2.02pm (NT time), or 3.32pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R3 # 1 BUCKLEUP BUDDY
Consistent 4yo who resumed from a break with a half-length second to stablemate Lean On Me here on 22 November. Raced really well last campaign including winning during the Carnival in Darwin over 1100m. Kerry Petrick has a big team engaged on the day and the son of Shalaa looks one of her best chances of success. Paul Denton continues his association with the gelding who should take plenty of beating.

R5 # 1 CHECKTHEMENU
Purchased from the last Magic Millions AS Tried Horse Sale held earlier this year, the 4yo raced well during his first campaign and has seemingly come back well after a break. His last two efforts, a third to Mougenot and a fourth to Demiquaver, were decent efforts and he looks ready now to put his foot right on the till over 1400m, a distance he has attempted just once for a second placing to Hebel. Raymond Vigar takes the mount again for Rene Taylor and he should be a leading contender in this.

R6 # 3 THE BIG FREEZE
Took a while to hit his straps but now racing in fine heart, with three wins from his last five starts, the most recent a fortnight ago when after sitting at the rear, he looped the field and bolted clear to win in 0-64 grade over this trip of 1600m. Actually drops back to easier company in this Benchmark 54 and trainer Carrol Hunter has done a great job placing the son of Pride Of Dubai. Wayne Davis visits from Darwin for the mount and the 6yo can continue with his stellar form in the last.

SELECTIONS

RACE 1 – 1, 5, 4, 7
RACE 2 – 5, 7, 6, 3
RACE 3 – 1, 3, 5, 2
RACE 4 – 5, 1, 4, 2
RACE 5 – 1, 5, 2, 3
RACE 6 – 3, 1, 2, 4

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