Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best at Alice Springs (02/05)

The biggest weekend on the Red Centre racing calendar kicks off today with Day 4 of the Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup Carnival in advance of the jewel in the crown, Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup Day, on Monday. Today’s feature, of course, is the $110,000 Alice Springs Toyota Pioneer Sprint (1200m) where the best Territory short-course performers, and one from South Australia, do battle in Alice Springs’ feature sprint.

An excellent, full field has been assembled for the “dash for cash” including last year’s trifecta placegetters Dakota Lee, Flying Yishu and Delago Lad, as well as top Darwin sprinter Boldinho, Rewards And More and O’Tycoon who have home ground advantage, and Cotehele from the powerful Michael Hickmott yard at Murray Bridge.

But from an ideal barrier draw and with her first run for over 12 months under her belt, I fancy Dakota Lee, to be ridden by Dakota Lee Gillett, to go back-to-back in the time-honoured feature. Terry Gillett’s 7yo daughter of Kuroshio has a stellar albeit limited record of 12 wins and a second from just 14 starts, and the problem-plagued mare, who has had a myriad of issues throughout her career, should no doubt have raced on more occasions than she has. That said, her record speaks for itself and with all things being equal, she can embellish that today.

She produced a phenomenal performance to win the Pioneer last year from the outside barrier, but then did not race again until just a fortnight ago when with 62kg and over 1000m, she chased home Rewards And More after being taken on in front from the outset. By all accounts she has come through that performance, her first for over 12 months, splendidly and will strip a much fitter horse for today’s big assignment. She has drawn ideally in barrier four (will jump from gate three if the emergencies don’t gain a start) and a number of her well-fancied rivals have wide gates to overcome.

Dakota Lee has only had her colours lowered once on this track – a fortnight ago – but if she can overcome all-comers in the last event on the card, she will go down as one of the finest sprinters to ever come out of the Red Centre. She drops in weight by a kilogram from last start and young Dakota knows her well. It could well be fairytale stuff if the two Dakota Lee’s put it altogether today.

But she will certainly not have it all her own way as it is a deep field with plenty of chances. Hardest for the mare to beat I believe is the SA visitor Cotehele, who is the winner of five of his 38 starts and has stake earnings of close on $820,000. He was very good behind Rewards And More and Dakota Lee on 18 April, fighting on solidly to be beaten 3.6 lengths, and with that run on the track to his credit, he should give this a real shake. He has the services of Dom Tourneur, who has a phenomenal record in Alice Springs Cups but is an accomplished rider over all distances, and with 56.5kg to carry, is getting a nice pull in the weights from the co-topweight.

Rewards And More, trained by Kerry Petrick and to be ridden by last year’s Pioneer Sprint-winning jockey Stan Tsaikos, has done little wrong in four starts at Pioneer Park, winning twice and being placed second and then third to Delago Lad. He is just a half-kilo above the minimum, has an inside barrier of two, and promises to run very well once again.

Co-topweight Boldinho, trained in the Top End by Gary Clarke, was fourth in the race won by Rewards And More a fortnight ago and is a tough, durable performer. The 61kg won’t be an issue – he won with 63.5kg in Darwin three starts back – but he has drawn a sticky gate of 11, which with the emergencies coming out, could well be eight come the jump. Jarrod Todd, who won the Chief Minister’s Cup on Wolfburn last Saturday for Clarke, takes the mount here and the 1200m, always run at breakneck speed, will be right up his alley.

Delago Lad has won three of his last four starts and must be included in your multiples. Greg Connor has both Delago Lad and Flying Yishu engaged, as well as third emergency Boy Big, and he is always to be respected on his home deck. Sairyn Fawke takes the mount on Delago Lad, while Flying Yishu will be ridden by Hannah Le Blanc, who of course won the Cup last year aboard Hasseltoff. He has finished second at his last two starts and appears to be hitting top form at precisely the right time.

Three-time Palmerston Sprint winner Early Crow has not had a start since his history-making win in the big Darwin race on 2 August, and it will be a superb piece of training if Dick Leech can work the oracle with the 7yo son of Kuroshio. He has Jason Lyon, who rode him to win the 2026 Palmerston, in the saddle again and it would be folly to leave him out entirely.

There are a number of others with claims in the event, such as O’Tycoon, second last start, Cinque Torri, who has been preparing for this in South Australia and whose last-start fourth to Pudding was a very good effort, Forms Of Fear and Great Buy, not to mention Square Cut who has won his last three starts in impressive fashion. It promises to be a fantastic renewal of the Pioneer and can be seen live on Sky 1 today.

The weather in Alice Springs continues to be perfect, with good days and cooler nights and mornings. The official forecast for today is: Partly cloudy. Light winds becoming northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the day. The temperature is forecast to reach a fantastic 31 degrees during the day, and it will be 15 degrees overnight. There is just 5% chance of any rain.

The first race on the seven-race card gets underway at 1.11pm (NT time), which is 1.41pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 4.54pm (NT time), or 5.24pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R1 # 2 EVEN SHARPER
Will be all the better for his first-up run here on 18 April when third to Real Valentia and In No Doubt over 1100m. That was his first run for four months and up to 1200m now, even though yet to win at the trip from 16 attempts, he makes plenty of appeal. Has won over 1100m, 1350m and 1400m, and this trip at this stage of his preparation should be to his liking. Even field but drawn the ace and can give a good account of himself.

R4 # 5 ENTERPRISE LASSIE
Tried hard here last week when third to Wolfburn and Venting in the Chief Minister’s. That was just her second start in the Red Centre, and seems to have adapted to the surface well. Veteran rider Paul Denton knows this track like the back of his hand and this race looks a good deal easier than the one he faced last week. As long as he backs up sufficiently well, should take plenty of beating in this 0-66 contest.

R6 # 2 CONVINCEBILITY
Just weakened late here last week when fourth to Delago Lad, Great Buy and Limited Risk over 1200m, and steps up to 1400m this time. Had been racing really consistently in Darwin prior to travelling to the Red Centre, and he has four placings from eight attempts at this trip. Drawn to be right on the pace for regular rider Raymond Vigar, and this looks a suitable assignment for Tayarn Halter’s 6yo son of Hellbent.

SELECTIONS

RACE 1 – 2, 1, 3, 6
RACE 2 – 9, 4, 3, 2
RACE 3 – 1, 2, 4, 3
RACE 4 – 5, 7, 10, 8
RACE 5 – 6, 8, 9, 5
RACE 6 – 2, 6, 9, 3
RACE 7 – 2, 4, 8, 1

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