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How to tune into Sport NationAndrew O’Toole’s SATURDAY best at Alice Springs (01/11)
Andrew O’Toole • November 1st, 2025 2:00 pm
Alice Springs is the place to be today with an action-packed afternoon of racing to coincide with Derby Day at Flemington, Golden Eagle Day at Randwick and Young Guns Day at Ladbrokes Pioneer Park! The AS Turf Club Derby Day fixture is one of the best days on the local racing calendar, and with a fine, hot day in prospect, all roads lead to the Red Centre of racing. A crowd of in excess of 500 is expected to make their way to the track to take part in the festivities.
A decent six-race card of racing awaits us, with 39 acceptors and eight jockeys in attendance. The fields are a little on the light side as this is the second of three consecutive weeks of racing in the Alice, but nevertheless there are some competitive contests to try and sort out.
The day’s feature is the $25,500 The Centralian Today Handicap, a Benchmark 76 event over 1400m. Three trainers – Kerry Petrick, Barry Cooke and Paul Gardner – have multiple runners engaged but I favour the latter’s Altar Boy to return to winning form over his pet distance.
Altar Boy, formerly trained by Terry Gillett, joined the Gardner stable following the Darwin Cup Carnival this year and has since won twice, as well as being placed second and third at his last two starts. Both those placings have been at distances short of his best – he finished second to Boy Big over 1200m on 11 October, before filling third place behind the Petrick stablemates Our Couver and The Men Went Home over the same trip six days ago.
He finished off strongly last week and Raymond Vigar, who knows the horse well and was aboard last week, retains the mount. He has drawn out a little in barrier six, but that should not worry him as he is most effective when allowed to find his feet and saved for a powerful home straight burst. He has an imposing record at this trip and track, having won six times from seven starts over 1400m, and he makes plenty of appeal in the day’s feature.
Topweight Venting, who has been a great horse to the Petrick stable with wins in the NT Derby, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine Cups since joining the Petrick team as a 3yo, looks the hardest to beat. The 7yo son of Star Witness was back in winning form last time out on 5 October, proving too strong for Kieffer and Flying Start over 1600m.
Although back in trip by 200m, he has a good record at this distance, having won twice and been placed four times from eight attempts at 1400m. He has drawn the ace and senior rider Paul Denton, who has had a long and successful association with the gelding, should be able to position him just behind the speed until ready to unleash his challenge. Although he has 59kg to carry – 4kg and more than all of his rivals – he is a big, strong galloper who carried 61kg to victory last time. He will prove a worthy adversary for Altar Boy and company.
Stablemate The Girl’s Boy, after back-to-back wins, was run off his legs by O’Tycoon last week, eventually tailing the field over 1100m. He looks like he needs further distance now and he is well performed at 1400m, having won four times, and a return to his best would come as no surprise. Ianish Luximon was aboard last week and will again do the steering, and the son of Rageese could bounce back to his best without causing a surprise. He is a ten-race winner and has won six times at Pioneer Park.
Flying Start, trained by Greg Connor, is finding it hard to win a race but that said, his last couple of efforts have hinted at a return to winning form at any time. He was beaten 3.5 lengths into third behind Altar Boy and Kieffer over this trip on 22 September, then filled the same position behind Venting and Keiffer over 1600m on 5 October. He seems to race well with his races spaced, so this assignment looks tailor-made for him. The only negative is the fact that from nine starts over this distance, he has yet to win, although placed on five occasions. Danielle Hirini will again be in the saddle as she has been at the 7yo’s last two outings.
The Cooke-trained pair of Murrajong Road and Sheer Reward have been fairly consistent lately, and were both placed here last Sunday behind The Big Freeze and Vitesse Breeze, and Incivility respectively. This is a good deal harder but they are fit and well and could get some of the money if everything falls into place.
Dr Venkman (unlikely to get a run as no rider declared) and Faithful Champion complete the line-up and would need to show some improvement on recent runs to trouble their more fancied opposition.
The weather in Alice Springs this week has been mostly fine and sunny, with warm temperatures. The official forecast for today reads: Mostly sunny. Winds easterly 15 to 20 km/h tending northeasterly during the morning then becoming light during the day. The temperature is forecast to reach a warm 39 degrees during the day, and it will be 21 degrees overnight. There is an 90% chance of no rain.
The first race on the six-race card gets underway at the 1.16pm (NT time), which is 2.46pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 4.34pm (NT time), or 6.04pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R1 # 5 TRAVANTIBeaten fair and square by Only The Best last time out on 11 October, but the winner is flying at present and has won again since. This appears no harder and although he can be a bit of a trick at the gates, as long as he is on his best behaviour, he should be suited by the inside draw. Ianish Luximon take the ride again and he has been in good form since resuming after an enforced lay-off. Has not won for a while but gets an ideal opportunity here.
R5 # 1 SUPER SHARPRacing consistently this campaign and last-start second to Frankfurt over this trip in this grade was a good effort. Lek Maloney rode on that occasion and takes the mount again – his 2kg claim will certainly assist. Won in better grade than this three starts back and drawn to get a nice run behind the speed. Trainer/rider combination had a double here last Sunday and can keep their good run going.
R6 # 2 ALTAR BOYRattled home over a too-short 1200m here last Sunday to finish less than four lengths third to Our Couver and The Men Went Home. Getting back to 1400m here will suit – he has six wins and a third at this track and distance. Raymond Vigar, who rode him last week, will again be aboard and as long as he gets clear air around the home turn, he will hit the line strongly. More than capable galloper on his day.
SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – 5, 2, 6, 1RACE 2 – 2, 1, 4, 3RACE 3 – 2, 3, 4, 7RACE 4 – 2, 3, 4, 6RACE 5 – 1, 3, 2, 4RACE 6 – 2, 1, 3, 4
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