Andrew O’Toole’s Sunday best at Alice Springs (12/07)

After last Sunday’s scheduled meeting in the Red Centre was cruelled by wet weather and abandoned, racing returns to Alice Springs today with a much better forecast. Due to last week’s abandonment, two races were added to the existing programme as well as one being divided to give us a bumper card of eight races to get our teeth into. Eight riders will be in attendance, including seven currently based in the Top End for the Darwin Cup Carnival, so all horses engaged today will get a start.

The highest rated race on the card is the $28,000 PFD Food Services Handicap, an open handicap over 1100m. Five trainers will be represented in the seven-horse field, with Lisa Whittle (2) and Greg Connor (2) having multiple runners, while Ray Viney, Barry Cooke and Carrol Hunter will have one representative apiece. And it is the last-named, Hunter, who I favour to take out the event with her very much in-form 7yo Brat, chasing a hat-trick of wins.

The son of Reward For Effort and Explobo, a brother to the former tremendous Red Centre performer That’s Justified, who won no less than 22 races, has himself been a multiple winner of 14 races from 60 starts. He was trained for the majority of his career by Terry Gillett but following this year’s AS Cup Carnival, he changed stables and Hunter has only had him for two runs, both of which he has won impressively.

He scored over 1000m in 0-58 grade on 30 May, winning by 4.3 lengths, and followed that up a fortnight later with a similarly dominant display over 1100m up against 0-64 company. He steps up in grade here but with Deborah Barton’s 2kg apprentice claim, will get in with a winnable 53kg, 3.5kg less than he carried when winning last time.

Barton has only had the three rides on Brat for two wins and a second, so the pair have a formidable association and that looks set to continue today.

Brat will not have it all his own way, however, as he is up against some well-performed rivals, most notably Luskin Hero, O’Tycoon, Delago Lad, Altar Boy and Square Cut.

Luskin Hero, the more favoured of the Connor pair, has been in fine form in three starts since the AS Cup Carnival. He finished second to Black Zous, beaten a very narrow margin, over 1000m on 30 May before turning the tables on that runner a fortnight later over 1200m. He backed up a week later on 21 June and was only just caught by the subsequently ill-fated Pompeii Empire, who unfortunately broke down just past the line.

Luskin Hero, as evidenced by his last three runs, tends to race consistently once he finds form, and there is nothing to suggest he won’t again race well. Paul Denton takes the mount and the pair should give Brat and company plenty to worry about.

O’Tycoon is the class act of the field, and gives Whittle a leading contender in her colours. His last two starts during the AS Cup Carnival produced fifth placings in the Pioneer Sprint, beaten 3.2 lengths, and in the open 1000m on Cup Day, in which he chased home the impressive Arizona Activist and company, beaten six lengths. He is the winner of almost $270,000 in stakes, and in a fresh state, with Hannah Le Blanc aboard, he should be very competitive. The trip of 1100m is also a positive, having won five times and been placed second on a further two occasions over the distance.

Delago Lad was in great form leading up to the Pioneer Sprint in early May but failed to fire in that feature, and has since been well below his best. However, the winner of 16 races has the ability and if he puts it altogether, he could easily give this a shake in the hands of Stan Tsaikos.

Altar Boy has had a freshen since finishing at the tail in the Tennant Creek Cup over 1600m in mid-May, but he is a quality performer on his day and could sprint well in a fresh state.

Square Cut and Demiquaver complete the line-up, and the former, although drawn the outside gate, must be considered, while the latter was a good third to Pompeii Ruler last time and adds further to the puzzle.

The weather in the Red Centre this week has been mainly fine, although there was a shower or two in the middle of the week and a foggy morning yesterday. The official forecast for today reads: Partly cloudy. Light winds. The temperature is forecast to reach just 19 degrees during the day, and it will be just 6 degrees overnight. There is just a 5% chance of any rain.

The first race on the eight-race card gets underway at 11.42pm (NT time), which is 12.12pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 3.54pm (NT time), or 4.24pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R2 # 4 STARTYOURENGINE

Had his chance when third first-up here on 14 June, and should be improved for that run. Lightly-raced 3yo who drops back in trip here from 1400m to 1100m and while perhaps not ideal, this does not appear a strong maiden field on paper. Paul Denton retains the mount and although Greg Connor’s charge has drawn the outside barrier, can make the necessary step up here.

R5 # 6 BRAT
Has been in career-best form since relocating to Alice Springs and trainer Carrol Hunter after a period spent in Darwin. Has won his last two starts over 1000m and 1100m by four lengths and more on each occasion, and Deborah Barton retains the mount on the 7yo son of Reward For Effort. Stays at 1100m for this assignment but has won four times from 17 attempts at the trip and should again be very hard to hold out.

R7 # 2 ROSEBUD LASS
Lightly-raced mare with an excellent record. Has won four of her seven starts in the Red Centre, the last three in succession. Unbeaten at this trip of 1400m from three attempts and on trial for a possible trip to Darwin for later in the Carnival. Jess Philpot has a tremendous association with the daughter of Prince Of Caviar and the Ray Viney-trained 4yo looks the testing material again.

SELECTIONS

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

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