Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best at Alice Springs (10/01)
Andrew O’Toole • January 10th, 2026 12:00 pm
Racing makes its return to the Red Centre after a three-week hiatus and a decent six-race card will be the order of the day. Some 39 horses have accepted for the fixture, although there was an early scratching, Buckleup Buddy coming out of the first division of the Benchmark 54 1000m on Wednesday afternoon. With nine riders in attendance on the day, all horses engaged will have a jockey and with a very warm day expected, racing will get underway shortly after 11am.
As she was at the last two meetings of 2025, leading trainer Kerry Petrick will be well represented again with no less than 13 runners accepted to run (Buckleup Buddy would have been 14 had he been allowed to take his place). She sent out three winners on 6 December and went one better at the last meeting on 20 December, and it seems certain that another multiple haul of wins will be on the cards today.
The day’s feature is the last, the Alice Springs Cup Carnival 11 April-4 May 2026 Handicap, an open sprint over the short course of 1000m. Four of the six runners clashed at the last meeting of 2025 in the Benchmark 76 1000m, with Petrick’s Great Gust scoring narrowly from Delago Lad and Expert Witness, with Bahama Bay close-up in fifth. It was a great finish and it is not hard to see another first-class contest resulting here, but this time I’m keen on Expert Witness to go two places better than he did last time.
The 7yo son of Star Witness, nowadays trained by Lisa Whittle, has been a quality sprinter throughout his 34-start career, with nine wins and 12 minor placings and stakes of $195,081 to his credit. He is a specialist over this trip – he has won five times and been placed on a further six occasions from 15 attempts at 1000m – and his last-start third to Great Gust and Delago Lad was a tremendous effort.
He went down by just 0.3 lengths after having to do a little more work than ideal from barrier four, and jumping from gate two this time, he should be able to cross Great Gust and lead on the fence after a short distance. Sonja Logan rode him last time out and will again try and grab a soft sectional somewhere in the run to allow her mount the best chance to hold his rivals at bay down the Pioneer Park home straight. With even luck he should take plenty of beating as he bids for a third win on the track.
The Petrick pair of Bahama Bay and Great Gust should give Expert Witness plenty of opposition. Bahama Bay had a wide run last time and was only beaten 1.2 lengths in the race won by Great Gust, and has drawn in the middle of the line here in barrier four. He had won his previous start on 6 December and is always competitive in this grade, even though this trip may be on the short side for the son of Holler.
Great Gust has a great record at his home track, having won four and been placed second from just six starts. He is a strongly-built sprinter who like Bahama Bay, may prefer a slightly longer trip but that said, with three weeks between runs, his trainer will no doubt have enough sprint in the legs of the son of Trust In A Gust to again prove hard to beat.
Delago Lad, from the Greg Connor stable, returned to his best form two starts back on 22 November when scoring over 1200m, and he was beaten by the barest possible margin last time. Danielle Hirini seems to get on well with the son of Delago Deluxe and he will again give a good account of himself in this competitive line-up.
Down The Wicket raced tremendously well last campaign in both Alice Springs and in Darwin, and has never been out of the first three in six starts at Pioneer Park. He has not raced since finishing second to Bahama Bay on Darwin Cup Day but has a decent first-up record, having won twice and been placed from five attempts in a fresh state. Hannah Le Blanc takes the mount for local trainer Kevin Lamprecht.
Square Cut, from the Ray Viney stable, would appear to be out of his comfort zone in this event but he can often bob up and grab a place in this company. Jess Philpot, not long back in the saddle after giving birth to her baby daughter, will do the steering and a decent showing would come as no great surprise.
The weather in Alice Springs this week has been fine and hot, with temperatures in the low 40s. The official forecast for today reads: Mostly sunny. Light winds becoming southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h during the day. The temperature is forecast to reach a very warm 42 degrees, and it will be 25 degrees overnight. There is a 5% chance of any rain.
The first race on the six-race card gets underway at 11.09pm (NT time), which is 12.39pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 2.00pm (NT time), or 3.30pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R1 # 2 THROW AT DA STUMPSGetting to the veteran stage now but still retains his zest for racing. Last-start third was a pointer that another win, which would be his 12th, is just around the corner. Has won six times at this distance of 1200m, three of them coming on this track. Has the ace draw to aid his chances and Ianish Luximon should be rearing to go, having missed the last month due to suspension. Can give this a real shake.
R4 # 3 STARTONCapable galloper who hardly ever goes a bad race. Resumes from a four-month spell here and has won two of his four first-up attempts in his career. Lek Maloney’s 2kg apprentice claim brings him in well with just 58kg, and this certainly looks a winnable race for the 5yo son of Tosen Stardom. Kerry Petrick has yet another strong hand on the day and can add a further victory to her recent run of good form.
R6 # 4 EXPERT WITNESSWent down narrowly here last time when third over this trip to Great Gust and Delago Lad, rivals again in the open sprint. Led and was just collared late and should again give a great sight out in front from barrier two. Meets his two chief rivals better at the weights and Sonja Logan again has the steer for trainer Lisa Whittle. Can return to his best in the last of the day.
LADBROKES PIONEER PARK – GOOD
RACE 1 – 2, 1, 4, 6RACE 2 – 2, 1, 6, 4RACE 3 – 3, 1, 4, 5RACE 4 – 3, 4, 6, 2RACE 5 – 5, 3, 1, 6RACE 6 – 4, 3, 2, 1
Chances are you're about to lose. Set a deposit limit. For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
