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Champions Day Bonus Bets giveawaySENTrack: Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best bets at Alice Springs (01/03)
Andrew O’Toole • March 1st, 2025 12:00 pm
The action in the Red Centre really hots up today – literally – with just a fortnight until the opening day of the Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup Carnival. Some excellent fields have been assembled and a mouth-watering six-race card awaits us in very hot conditions, hence another early start to racing. With ten jockeys engaged for rides at the meeting, only one scratching, in the first, will be required, and a top day’s action seems assured.
The two features are the Ladies Day on March 22 Open over 1200m and the Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup on 6 April Handicap (1400m). Both have attracted small but select fields, and keen contests in both look likely.
In the open sprint, which is the second race on the programme, the very much in-form O’Tycoon continues his build-up to the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint over this trip on 5 April, and such has been his consistency since beginning racing in the Red Centre that it will be surprising indeed if he is beaten here. He is looking for his third straight win – and fifth from his most recent six starts – and trainer Lisa Whittle has the son of Written Tycoon flying. Regular rider Sonja Logan goes back aboard – she was suspended for the horse’s last win when he was accompanied by Hannah Le Blanc – and even though jumping from the outside gate of seven, he is not one-dimensional and can take a sit if unable to find the lead.
He has beaten half of his rivals already in recent Red Centre outings, and although up against a trio of newcomers in the form of Early Crow, That’s Justified and Better Not Fuss, he looks the testing material and can keep his tremendous run of Pioneer Park form going.
Better Not Fuss, last year’s AS Guineas winner and successful during the Darwin Cup Carnival in 2024, returned to racing action with a length win over 1000m on 15 February, beating The Girl’s Boy and Beep Test in a 0-64 event. This is a good deal harder, but the 4yo son of Better Than Ready has class on his side and although probably now wanting a longer trip, such was his return to racing a fortnight ago that it would be folly to dismiss his chances again. Trainer Paul Gardner and rider Raymond Vigar have built up an enviable record in recent times in the Alice, and with 55kg (although Vigar is expected to be up to a kilo overweight) he still gets in well in this open handicap.
Supreme Attraction is getting on in years – he’s rising ten – but still continues to race well. His first-up effort, after a break of over ten months, was eye-catching – he was beaten only 2.8 lengths over 1100m by O’Tycoon and with natural improvement, he can make his presence felt over a trip at which he has won five times. He is also a nine-time winner at Pioneer Park and will benefit greatly from Dakota Gillett’s 1.5kg apprentice claim, meaning he will carry just 4kg above the minimum, a luxury weight for a horse of his undoubted calibre.
Kickatorp resumed from a break with a solid third, beaten just over two lengths, behind O’Tycoon and Kangaroo Court on 15 February and is highly consistent. Early Crow, the two-time Palmerston Sprint winner, makes his return from a spell and a bold showing first-up would not surprise, while veteran That’s Justified is such a great performer – he has 22 wins to his credit, 21 of them on this track – can never be left out of calculations.
The field is completed by Flying Yishu, who raced with distinction last campaign and resumes here after a short three-month break. He is talented and adds to the puzzle in what should be an intriguing contest.
The Ladbrokes AS Cup on 6 April Handicap is a Benchmark 76 event over 1400m, and leading trainer Terry Gillett holds a strong hand with Kangaroo Court and Great Buy. Both have been racing in great form, with Great Buy a last-start winner over this trip on 8 February, and Kangaroo Court resuming from a short break with a fine second to O’Tycoon over a too-short 1100m. Up to the 1400m, the latter looks well placed, and gets a good pull in the weights from his stablemate courtesy of young Gillett’s apprentice claim.
The chances don’t end with the Gillett pair, though, with fresh runner Iknowhatyouredoing, consistent Zesty Spice and former AS and Darwin Cup winner Write Your Name all interesting contenders.
Kevin Lamprecht’s Iknowhatyouredoing raced with distinction in Darwin during last year’s Carnival, winning twice including over 2050m on Darwin Cup Day. He could be expected to improve with the outing, but that said, he is a talent and will be doing his best work late. Zesty Spice put three wins together before a last-start third behind Great Buy, while Write Your Name, although sixth of six behind O’Tycoon on 15 February, was not beaten far and the extra distance will be up his alley.
The weather in the Red Centre continues to be very hot and shows no signs of abating. The official forecast for today reads: Sunny. Light winds becoming east to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. The temperature is forecast to reach a very hot 43 degrees during the day with an overnight low of 23 degrees, while there is a 0% chance of any rain.
The first on the six-race card gets underway at 10.34pm (NT time), which is 12.04pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 1.29pm (NT time), or 2.59pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R2 No 4 O’TYCOONAbsolutely flying since beginning his Red Centre career. The former Sydney galloper has taken to the sand and oil-based surface like a duck to water, and has won four of his last five starts on the track. Tracking beautifully towards the Pioneer Sprint in five weeks’ time, and can take another positive step towards that major goal here. Regular rider Sonja Logan goes back aboard after suspension and even from the outside draw of seven, he looks the one to beat again.
R5 # 1 CAVENDISHHas won his only two starts in Alice over 1400m and steps up to the 1600m here for the first time. On target for the Alice Springs Guineas on 22 March and having an outing here over the Guineas distance will be too his liking, judged on his last two impressive wins over the shorter trip. Hannah Le Blanc retains the ride and her 2kg apprentice claim will bring the son of Capitalist in very well in this class 2 line-up. Hard to see him being beaten.
R6 No 3 KANGAROO COURTResumed from a two-month break here on 15 February with an excellent second to O’Tycoon over 1100m, and the step-up to 1400m will suit ideally. Is two from two track and distance, and will get all favours from barrier 2. Dakota Gillett’s 1.5kg apprentice claim reduces the 5yo’s weight to 56.5kg, a 5.5kg pull on his stablemate and last-start winner Great Buy. That may be the difference between winning and running second.
SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – 3, 10, 1, 2RACE 2 – 4, 7, 1, 5RACE 3 – 4, 1, 2, 3RACE 4 – 1, 2, 6, 8RACE 5 – 1, 2, 5, 6RACE 6 – 3, 1, 5, 6
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