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SENTrack: Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best bets at Alice Springs (31/05)
Andrew O’Toole • May 31st, 2025 12:00 pm
Racing returns to Alice Springs today for the first time for four weeks – the Red Centre meeting a fortnight ago was at Tennant Creek – and due to good nominations overall and only seven riders in attendance, some three races have been divided to give the meeting no less than eight races! This is an unusual occurrence but with fortnightly racing in the lower part of the NT at this time of the year, sometimes there is little choice but to make decisions based on rider numbers and the like, otherwise horses are highly likely to miss out on racing for a month or more, which is far from ideal.
Although all fields are on the light side – seven of the eight races are five-horse line-ups – the feature, the $27,500 Pioneer Park Anniversary Cup has attracted the biggest field of the day with seven runners set to do battle. The 1400m Benchmark 76, run to celebrate the course on which the Alice Springs Turf Club has raced since 1977, is always a keenly-contested affair and this year’s renewal looks to be no exception.
Topweight Great Buy, prepared by leading trainer Terry Gillett and to be ridden by his daughter Dakota, looks the testing material in the Anniversary Cup. He is a specialist at this trip of 1400m, having won five times and been placed on a further six occasions from 21 attempts, and the 12-race winner has been a most consistent performer since making the Red Centre home in February 2023.
He failed last time out over 1600m in the Tennant Creek Cup over 1600m, a distance he has yet to win at, but back on his favoured track and over his preferred trip, he should take a power of beating. His form prior to Tennant Creek was sound – he had had two seconds and a third from his previous four starts – and even though he will carry 5.5kg more than his rivals, he has the class to lead throughout.
Better Not Fuss, like Great Buy, failed to fire at Tennant Creek and was beaten close on 15 lengths into fifth behind the dead-heaters Tintern Power and Darci Diva. However, last year’s AS Guineas winner is far better than his most recent effort would suggest, and back to Pioneer Park, he must be strongly considered. Paul Gardner’s 4yo will be ridden by Sonja Logan, who was aboard him last time, and from the inside gate he seems certain to be sent forward to either lead or be very prominent in the run. He has won three times on the track but perhaps crucially, has yet to register a win over the distance from five attempts. He has, however, won three times over 1600m
Darci Diva had to share the win with Tintern Power over 1450m at Tennant Creek, but his effort was full of merit. He took over in front before the final turn and was only just caught – but not headed – by Tintern Power in the last stride. Barry Cooke’s 7yo had not won in the Red Centre prior to Tennant Creek, but with that half-win under his belt, he may be able to put some decent performances together. Danielle Hirini, who rode a double at Tennant Creek a fortnight ago and has made a great impression since resuming her riding career during the AS Cup Carnival, will take the mount on Darci Diva for the first time.
Mi Mijo was another to fail at Tennant Creek, in the Cup over 1600m, but his earlier form had been first-class. He led throughout to win over 1600m on AS Cup Day, and followed that up with two good third placings behind The Girl’s Boy and Princess Pancakes on 20 April and 3 May respectively. He has won twice over this trip and with apprentice Hannah Le Blanc reducing his weight to 54kg with her claim, he could again make his presence felt.
The Ray Viney stablemates Strike Eagle and Beep Test do not win out of turn and this is a step up on their recent assignments, but both have ability and a bold showing from either or both would not surprise. Murrajong Road completes the seven-horse line-up and he would need to improve on his first three runs in the NT, two here in Alice and one in the Barkly.
The weather in the Red Centre this week has been wet and cold, with rain falling on Tuesday and Wednesday. The inclement weather cleared by lunchtime on Wednesday and the forecast going forward is for fine weather. The official forecast for today reads: Partly cloudy. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the afternoon. The temperature is forecast to reach just 17 degrees during the day, with a chilly 4 degrees overnight. There is only a 5% chance of any rainfall.
The first race on the eight-race card gets underway at 12.53pm (NT time), which is 1.23pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 5.07pm (NT time), or 5.37pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R1 # 2 FORGETABOUTITCapable 3yo who won during the Carnival here three starts back over this trip against own age group. Last-start second on 3 May behind Bodmin Boy in this grade and over this trip was full of merit, and this looks a winnable race for the son of Goodfella. Dakota Gillett’s 1.5kg apprentice claim brings him in very well on the minimum, and will be very hard to beat in the opener.
R3 # 3 CHIEF WHITE SOCKJust collared late by Hurn Court over 1100m last time out on 3 May after looking the winner until the shadows of the post. The drop back to 1000m will be very much to his liking – he is a three-time winner and twice placed over this trip. Danielle Hirini, who has made a good impression since resuming her career during the AS Cup Carnival, has the mount for the first time and the son of Headwater looks a leading chance on the programme.
R6 # 2 QUALISGood fourth behind the dead-heaters Tintern Power and Darci Diva at Tennant Creek a fortnight ago, and will have come on for that outing, his first for a couple of months. The 1400m here suits well – he has won three times at the trip from just six attempts – and Danielle Hirini, who was aboard last time out, retains the mount for Sheila and Keith Arnold. Will give his four rivals plenty to chase.
SELECTIONS
LADBROKES PIONEER PARK (ALICE SPRINGS) – GOODRACE 1 – 2, 4, 3, 1RACE 2 – 1, 3, 2, 4RACE 3 – 3, 4, 1, 2RACE 4 – 1, 4, 2, 5RACE 5 – 1, 5, 2, 3RACE 6 – 2, 1, 3, 5RACE 7 – 2, 1, 3, 5RACE 8 – 1, 2, 3, 6
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