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Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best at Alice Springs (21/02)
Andrew O’Toole • February 21st, 2026 2:00 pm
After the last meeting scheduled for Alice Springs on 7 February was lost without a race being run due to rain rendering the track unsafe for racing, action returns to the Alice today for an eight-race card. Although the fields are only small with one seven and one six-horse line-up and the rest featuring just five runners apiece, it is an important lead-up for a number of horses eyeing off the upcoming Alice Springs Cup Carnival, which gets underway in less than two months.
Two riders from Darwin, Raymond Vigar and apprentice Deborah Barton, will make the trip from the Top End to join with the five local riders based in the centre of Australia, and the forecast looks a good deal better than it was a fortnight ago, with just the odd shower possible later in the day. The raceday temperature will at least be a good deal cooler than for recent racemeetings.
Leading trainer Kerry Petrick will again be well represented, with no less than 16 horses engaged for the programme. In the last two races on the card, she has four runners in each, and after a four-timer at the last meeting on 24 January, she again looks set to have a strong hand on the day.
However, in one of the day’s two features, the $23,400 Ladbrokes Big Bets Handicap, I favour the last-start winner Square Cut to go back-to-back for the Ray Viney team.
Square Cut, a 7yo son of Kuroshio, whose stock excel on the sand and oil-based tracks of the NT, was fresh-up from a seven and a-half month break when bolting up over 1000m in an open handicap on 10 January, and he meets just four rivals this time in the Benchmark 76 affair over 1100m. Not surprisingly, Jess Philpot, who was aboard last time, retains the mount and with just a half-kilo more to carry for that last effort, the winner of four of his 26 starts looks the one to beat. He has won at the trip previously from six attempts, and is a most consistent galloper who hardly ever goes a bad race.
Boy Big, another last-start winner from the Greg Connor stable, is, like Square Cut, a consistent performer and although now an 8yo, he seems to be racing as well if not better than ever. The winner of 13 races – five over 1100m – was a strong winner over a BM76 1200m on 24 January, and senior rider Paul Denton, who rode on that occasion, will again have the steer. He looks the hardest for Square Cut to beat.
Topweight Delago Lad, a stablemate of Boy Big, was disappointing last time when tailing the field home a fortnight ago, but he is certainly better than that effort would suggest. He won impressively four starts back on 22 November and if anywhere near that form, he would give this field a real shake. Danielle Hirini, the 8yo’s regular rider, will again be in the saddle and look to him to turn his form around with a bold showing.
The Girl’s Boy represents the Petrick barn and the 6yo has not had a run since 1 November when second to Altar Boy over 1400m. He has yet to win first-up from eight attempts, although he has a good second-up record, but the 10-race winner cannot be discounted. Lek Maloney, who rode a winner in Darwin a week ago, takes 2kg off The Girl’s Boy’s book weight of 57.5kg, meaning he gets in well in the handicap.
Mougenot is an interesting contender in the Viney stable. He is unbeaten in three starts in the Red Centre, the last of them on 1 November when downing Grinzinger Lass by a length in a three and four-year-old contest over 1200m. The 4yo looks highly promising and as a previous first-up winner, he must be considered, even though up in grade here.
Flying Start completes the six-horse field and Greg Connor’s 7yo cannot be left out altogether either. The winner of seven of his 42 starts and placed on a further 18 occasions, he was last seen when fourth of five behind Princess Pancakes and company on 24 January, but he is more than capable on his day and adds further to the puzzle.
The day’s other feature is the PFD Foods Fillies and Mares Race Day 18 April Handicap for the Benchmark 76 gallopers over 1400m. Altar Boy, a specialist at this trip having won no less than seven times, looks on target to record his third win from his last five starts, and Raymond Vigar, who gets on well with the son of The Mission, takes the mount again for the Paul Gardner stable.
Hardest for Altar Boy to beat should be Bahama Bay, who has finished second at his last two outings behind Square Cut and Boy Big; Princess Pancakes, who has won two of her last three starts; and Throw At Da Stumps, who is searching for a hat-trick of wins. He will be attempting 1400m for the very first time at his 53rd career start, but he can never be discounted and is racing in career-best form. Magic Defense makes up the five-strong field and cannot be left out in an even line-up.
The weather in Alice Springs this week has been a mix of fine weather and showers, and it is to be hoped that the former is the order of the day today. The official forecast for today reads: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then tending northeasterly during the evening. The temperature is forecast to reach 35 degrees, and it will be 24 degrees overnight. There is a 50% chance of 0-5mm.
The first race on the mammoth eight-race card gets underway at 10.50am (NT time), which is 12.20pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 2.59pm (NT time), or 4.29pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R5 # 2 SAXON BEACHStill a maiden after 17 starts but has been placed three times second and seven times third, so certainly has ability. Last-start second here on 24 January behind the impressive Dolce D’Amour in 0-58 grade over this distance of 1400m augurs well for this five-horse maiden affair, and has the services of Paul Denton, who knows this track like the back of his hand. Can collect an overdue win here.
R6 # 4 DOLCE D’AMOURCreated a sizeable impression when bolting clear to score impressively at her second start in Alice Springs on 24 January. Led and was never tested to win by almost nine lengths in 0-58 grade over 1400m, and stays at the same distance in a similar race. Drawn the inside gate which is usually an advantage from this barrier position and judged on her last effort, she should be on speed and will take plenty of running down.
R7 # 1 ALTAR BOYContinues to race well for the Paul Gardner stable. Has won two of his last four starts and his last-start fourth over a too-short 1200m was eye-catching. Ran on well that day and back to his favoured 1400m distance here – he has won seven of his 13 starts at the trip – will bring him right into this. Has plenty of weight to carry but the winner of ten races from 23 starts at this track has earned it and looks the hardest to beat with Raymond Vigar in the saddle.
LADBROKES PIONEER PARK – GOOD
RACE 1 – 1, 5, 4, 2RACE 2 – 1, 2, 4, 3RACE 3 – 1, 2, 5, 3RACE 4 – 3, 2, 1, 4RACE 5 – 2, 4, 3, 1RACE 6 – 4, 5, 2, 3RACE 7 – 1, 2, 3, 4RACE 8 – 1, 2, 4, 3
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