With the Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup Carnival only a week away, the action really hots up with an eight-race card today, highlighted by the stayers furthering their preparation for the big one on 4 May, and the 3yos completing their lead-ups to the $55,000 Alice Springs Guineas on Day 2 of the Carnival, 18 May. While the fields overall are still on the light side with just two each-way affairs, the numbers will increase from next week and there remains some interesting contests to whet the appetite.

The feature is the $28,000 The Cabinet Shop Tradies Day 11th April Free Entry Handicap for the open grade gallopers over 1600m. Just five will compete for the first prize of $18,760, but it will be an intriguing contest as the handful press their claims for the $120,000 Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup over 2000m in just over four weeks’ time.

I have settled on the lowest rated horse in the race, Iknowhatyouredoing, to come out on top in the last of the day, and the Kevin Lamprecht-trained son of Husson will have the services again of Jess Booth, who won twice on the chestnut during last year’s lead-up to and during the Darwin Cup Carnival. The lightly-raced gelding – he will be having just his 28th career start – has always shown plenty of ability, but is something of an enigma and can have good and bad days, although that said, as he has matured he has been far more consistent.

His first-up run this campaign on 21 March was eye-catching indeed. He got back in the run as is his habit, but he could be seen really savaging the line late over 1400m on 21 March. The extra trip and fitness will be all to the good for him and with Booth unbeaten in two rides on Iknowhatyouredoing and having a 3kg apprentice claim, he looks a standout in the event, as long as he has one of his “on” days.

Hardest to beat should be the Kerry Petrick-trained pair of The Girl’s Boy and Magic Defense, who are both coming off last-start wins over 1400m, the former on 21 March and Magic Defense just seven days ago.

The Girl’s Boy has not been as effective at 1600m as at other trips, and in fact has yet to win over the distance, although he has been placed at each of his two attempts at the trip. But being a 6yo now he should be ready to show that the metric mile is not beyond him. The winner of 11 races all told will again be ridden by apprentice Lek Maloney, whose 2kg claim will bring him in nicely at 53kg. He should be in the party for a long way.

Magic Defense has won two of her last three starts, both over 1400m, and in between times ran a close-up third to stablemate Matron Samsing and Valley Prince in the St Patrick’s Day Cup on 15 March. She too is a non-winner over 1600m, her eight starts at the distance having yielded a second and three thirds, but she has a fine record on this course, having won six of her 16 starts and placed on a further six occasions. Ianish Luximon, who has been aboard for the mare’s last two starts, retains the mount.

Altar Boy, conversely, has won three times over this distance, all on this track among his 11 wins at Pioneer Park. His last couple of runs have been below his best, although that said, he was only 1.2 lengths behind the winner when fifth of seven in the St Pat’s Cup. He is a quality performer and if anywhere near his best, would give his rivals all and more than they need.

Grinzinger Bishop completes the line-up, and Kym Healy’s 6yo has a win and two seconds from just four outings at track and distance among his six career victories. He has not raced since finishing at the tail at Strathalbyn on 1 February over 2050m, but Healy knows what it takes to win races in the Red Centre – he has been the leading trainer at the last two Cup Carnivals here – and dismiss him at your peril.

The $27,500 Cup Day Members Lounge Luncheon 3yo Handicap (1400m) is the last age-group lead-up to the Guineas in a fortnight, and the three last-start winners – Grinzinger Tundra, Laws Wars and Leveraged Buyout – look likely to fight out the finish.

Grinzinger Tundra (Petrick/Luximon) won here at his first start over a too-short 1000m on 21 March, and will no doubt be better over this longer trip. He looks a likely type by Russian Camelot and should again figure in the placings.

Laws Wars, trained by Kevin Lamprecht and with Jess Booth aboard, broke his maiden here over 1400m on 21 February and has been set for the Guineas, so this run should have him at peak fitness for the big one on 18 April. That said, he should be ready to run a bold race here over the 1400m and has a nice gate of two.

Leveraged Buyout won here a week ago over 1600m so is dropping back in trip, which might not be ideal for Dick Leech’s son of Dundeel. But he was very good here at his first look at the course seven days ago and a repeat effort would come as no surprise.

The weather in Alice Springs this week has been beautifully fine, and not before time. The official forecast for today reads: Sunny. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the afternoon. The temperature is forecast to reach a comfortable 31 degrees, and it will be 17 degrees overnight. There is a 0% chance of any rain.

The first race on the eight-race card gets underway at 12.18pm (NT time), which is 1.48pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 4.41pm (NT time), or 6.11pm in New South Wales and Victoria. Remember that daylight saving ends tomorrow, so from next week the NT will be just a half-hour ahead of NSW and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R2 # 1 CHIEF WHITE SOCK
Handy lower grade sprinter who resumed from a spell on 21 March and finished a 4.5-length fourth to Boss Shelby and company. Covered ground on that occasion but should have come on for the run, his first since mid-September. Raymond Vigar retains the mount for trainer Barry Cooke and the seven-race winner, three at this trip of 1100m, should give a good account of himself second-up – he has won in this state previously.

R5 # 6 ANPHINA
Former NT Derby winner who has returned to the NT after racing in Victoria recently. She resumed in the Territory with a good third to Boss Shelby on 21 March over 1000m, a trip far too short for the 6yo daughter of Rebel Dane. Out to 1400m now in 0-58 grade, she has the quality to make her presence felt and although she does not win out of turn, this looks a winnable race for the Kerry Petrick-trained mare.

R8 # 5 IKNOWHATYOUREDOING
Talented stayer who is on target for the AS Cup over 2000m on 4 May. Resumed with a solid-finishing fourth behind The Girl’s Boy and company over 1400m here on 21 March, his first run since Darwin Cup Day last year. Will have taken plenty of improvement from that outing and in this small field, will get back from the outset of the 1600m but can prove a powerful force late. Will be very hard to beat if he puts his best foot forward.

SELECTIONS

RACE 1 – 6, 1, 2, 10
RACE 2 – 1, 2, 3, 4
RACE 3 – 5, 3, 1, 6
RACE 4 – 1, 5, 4, 6
RACE 5 – 6, 1, 2, 5
RACE 6 – 2, 3, 1, 4
RACE 7 – 3, 2, 5, 1
RACE 8 – 5, 2, 3, 1

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