Andrew O’Toole’s SUNDAY Best Bets for Alice Springs (05/10)

A five-race card awaits us at Ladbrokes Pioneer Park today, with 34 acceptors at acceptance time. However, there will only be seven riders in attendance, so scratchings will be required in the first and third events, which both have nine acceptors. That being the case, some 30 runners should contest the meeting, the first of three in the Red Centre during the month of October.

The day’s feature is the last on the card, the Derby Day November 1st Handicap, an Average Benchmark (67) Handicap over 1600m. It is one of two events over the distance today, and the 1600m start at Pioneer Park affords the runners a 300-plus run to the first corner into the back straight. Some six horses will contest the event, and it is a quality line-up with Altar Boy the likely favourite.

Formerly trained by Terry Gillett both here in AS and more recently in Darwin, Altar Boy only entered the Gardner stable in late August and in three starts from the new barn, won first-up in the Cummins Cup over this trip and track on Truckies Day (29 August), before a strong-finishing sixth behind Super Sharp over a too-short 1200m on 14 September. His last-start win on 22 September came over 1400m, a distance he excels at , but his record at this 1600m trip is phenomenal – he has won eight times from just 16 attempts at the trip, and also has a second and three third placings.

Altar Boy was ridden to his latest win by Paul Denton, who took the mount in the absence of injured Dakota Gillett, but apprentice Lek Maloney takes the mount this time and will claim 2kg off the 6yo’s book weight of 60kg, bringing him in very well in the handicap. He has drawn an inside gate which should allow him a lovely run in transit, and he should be hitting the line with plenty of gusto. He certainly looks the one to beat.

Topweight Venting, trained by Kerry Petrick and with Denton to do the steering, should give Altar Boy plenty of opposition. The former NT Derby, Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek Cup winner has been a tremendous performer for his connections, with stakes in excess of $370,000, and he still retains a zest for racing.

Two starts back he finished third, although well beaten behind Hettinger and Tubthumper, the Katherine Cup over 1700m, and his only run since was when fourth of five behind Boldinho and co over a too-short 1100m in Darwin on 20 September. He showed plenty of pace that day in a fresh state, and now having returned to home base in Alice, he should be right in the finish here over a trip at which he has won five times and been placed on a further eight occasions from 19 attempts. He has the steadier of 61kg to carry but he has earned the impost, given his fine record of ten career wins from 52 starts.

Kieffer, who chased home Altar Boy last time following two straight wins, one in Darwin and one in Alice, is another with an undeniable chance. He is racing really well for Kevin Lamprecht and has two wins and four placings from ten starts over the 1600m. Ianish Luximon goes aboard today and the son of Mawingo will be right in the finish with even luck.

Flying Start took third in the race won by Altar Boy last time out and may be returning to something like his best. He is talented on his day but has found it hard to win in the last year or so – however, Greg Connor seems to have him back on track and Danielle Hirini has been in good form lately and takes the mount on the 7yo son of Flying Artie.

Will Savage’s pair of Valley Prince and Mi Mijo cannot be left out of calculations. Both are capable and Valley Prince, especially, has been racing well lately and chased home Kieffer two starts back. Mi Mijo put three wins together over this trip in the middle of the year and although his latest efforts have been below-par, he could easily surprise.

The weather in Alice Springs this week has been really warming up, and summer appears to have come early in the Red Centre. The official forecast for today reads: Sunny. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the day. The temperature is forecast to reach a balmy 35 degrees during the day, and it will be a comfortable 13 degrees overnight. There is 0% chance of any rainfall.

The first race on the five-race card gets underway at the 12.07pm (NT time), which is 1.37pm on the first day of daylight saving on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 2.27pm (NT time), or 3.57pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R1 # 2 NO CASH HERE
Tried hard when beaten into second by Sheer Reward, a rival again, on 22 September over this trip of 1200m. Has won at his previous start narrowly but well, and finished second at his first-up attempt this campaign behind the smart Grinzinger Lass. Looks to have plenty of upside and Danielle Hirini, who has been aboard the son of Heroic Valour at each start this preparation, will again have the steer. Drawn nicely and in an even sort of field, can return to winning ways.

R2 # 2 MATRON SAMSING
Having first start in the NT after being purchased from the Magic Millions Darwin Tried Horse Sale in late July. Lightly raced daughter of Hellbent, she is a last-start winner on the Pakenham synthetic surface, and prior to that had finished second on a similar track at Ballarat. In the good hands of Kerry Petrick, she will have the services of senior rider Paul Denton, who knows this track like the back of his hand. Can make a good first-up impression here in this small line-up.

R5 # 2 ALTAR BOY
Far too good for Kieffer and company here over 1400m on 22 September, and steps up to his favoured 1600m in this. Has won no less than eight times from 16 starts over a mile and has gone from strength to strength since returning to AS following the Darwin Cup Carnival. Now in the stable of Paul Gardner, Altar Boy will get 2kg off his back courtesy of Lek Maloney’s apprentice claim, and from the inside gate, he should get a lovely run in transit and can swamp his rivals late. Good race to finish the day but Altar Boy the testing material.

LADBROKES PIONEER PARK – GOOD

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

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