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SENTrack: Andrew O’Toole’s Sunday best bets at Alice Springs (02/02)
Andrew O’Toole • February 2nd, 2025 12:00 pm
The lead-up to the Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup Carnival begins in earnest in the Red Centre today with a four-race card to get our teeth into. Unfortunately, the Benchmark 76 1200m was deleted at acceptances due to just three horses paying up, which is somewhat disappointing given the fact that the early favourite for the Pioneer Sprint, O’Tycoon, was denied a start. That said, today’s meeting is the first of ten successive weeks of racing, which will culminate in Alice Cup and Pioneer Sprint Weekend on 5 and 6 April.
With the highest-rated race gone, the 0-70 Ladbrokes Blackbook Handicap (1400m) is the race we’ll concentrate on, and topweight Vinnie’s Spirit looks the way to go here.
Trained by leading conditioner Terry Gillett and to be ridden by his daughter Dakota, the son of I Am Invincible has created a good impression in the Red Centre so far, with three placed efforts from just three outings to date. He has had two starts at 1000m and his last over 1200m, but today’s 1400m will be much more suitable for the 5yo. He looks to have taken to the sand and oil-based surface of the Red Centre really well, and he is dropping in grade from his recent outings. Although drawn out a little, the six-horse field will allow him to take up a position and he looks very hard to hold out.
Zesty Spice, from the Paul Gardner team, has won his last two starts in good style for Darwin jockey Raymond Vigar, who will again have the mount. However, he is up in grade this time – his last two wins have been in Benchmark 54 and 0-64 company, both over this trip – and will need to go to the next level to compete with the topweight. That said, all he can do is win and winning form is good form.
Starton, from the stable of Kerry Petrick, has done little wrong this preparation, winning his first two starts and then being placed third and second at his two most recent attempts. His last three starts have been in 0-64 company, and he will be stepping up to 1400m for the first time this campaign. He is a quality performer though, and Paul Denton knows him well.
Stablemate Boom Boom Sweet has yet to fire this campaign, but seems to race himself into form the longer into a preparation he goes. Top End hoop Jarrod Todd makes the charter plane flight to the Red Centre to take the mount, and an improved showing would not surprise.
Perkova (Gardner) and Isolyfe (Ray Viney) complete the six-horse field, and their recent efforts have been acceptable. Perkova was second in this grade two starts back behind Kangaroo Court over 1600m, and is capable on her day, while Isolyfe won at this trip three starts back, albeit in class 2 company.
The weather in the Red Centre continues to be very hot, and there is no sign of that changing anytime soon. The official forecast reads: Mostly sunny. Winds easterly 15 to 25 km/h tending southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. The temperature is forecast to reach 42 degrees during the day, with an overnight low of 22 degrees, while there is just a 5% chance of any rain.
The first on the four-race card gets underway at the early time of 11.03pm (NT time), which is 12.33pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at a very early 12.54pm (NT time), or 2.24pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R1, No.1 - ALTAR BOYResumed from a spell with an excellent effort for third behind the in-form Delago Lad and Rock Of Kryptonite in 0-70 company on 18 January. Drops back in grade here to a 0-64, and stays at the 1100m trip. Has won twice at 1000m and once at 1200m, but gets an ideal opportunity to pick up his first 1100m victory in the day’s opener. Has the top weight to carry but only has to recapture his best form from last campaign, when he won four times in succession, and he will give this line-up a real shake.
R2, No.5 - REVOLUTION RISINGStill a maiden, and takes on a couple of winners here, but his most recent two Red Centre performances have been first-class. Chased home Down The Wicket here on 5 January, beaten less than a length, then tried hard in class two company behind Faithful Champion, going down by a length and a-half. Senior rider Jarrod Todd takes the reins this time, and from a handy barrier of three, should again make his presence felt, although dropping back in trip.
R3, No.1 - VINNIE’S SPIRITHas been crying out for a longer trip and gets it here. Placed in each of his three AS starts to date behind stablemate Brat (twice) and the smart O’Tycoon last time, and the 1400m here should be right up his alley. Formerly trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the 5yo son of I Am Invincible is lightly-raced and has only saluted on two occasions from 18 starts, but he has been ten times placed and this looks well within his scope. Very hard to beat.
SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – 1, 2, 7, 3RACE 2 – 5, 1, 2, 6RACE 3 – 1, 4, 2, 3RACE 4 – 3, 4, 1, 7
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