Day 2 of the Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup Carnival takes place today, and a tremendous eight-race card, headlined by the $55,000 Lasseters Centre of Entertainment NT Guineas which will be the last of the day, awaits us in the Red Centre. It is Ladies Day at Pioneer Park, and a good crowd is expected on-course to see some of the best gallopers in commission in the NT.

Apart from the Guineas, two crucial lead-ups to the Pioneer Sprint and Alice Springs Cup in a fortnight or so will really whet the appetite, with the Alice Springs sprinting champ Dakota Lee stepping out on raceday in The Soldier Lightning (1000m) for the first time since winning the Pioneer just over 12 months ago, while the Imparja Television Handicap over 1900m will give a number of the Cup hopefuls a chance to show their wares at a trip just 100m short of the Cup itself.

The Guineas will be intriguing for sure, but it is hard to go past the Dick Leech-trained Leveraged Buyout, who has not put a foot wrong since making his way to the Red Centre a few weeks ago. The former Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained son of Dundeel showed his class with a first-up win over 1600m on 28 March, beating Highstrung and Dolce D’Amour, then backed up seven days later against his own age group over 1400m, again giving his rivals a beating when downing Laws Wars and Ashen Glow, rivals again today, by 2.5 lengths and more.

With a fortnight between runs, the bay gelding should be primed to keep his unbeaten record in the Red Centre intact and collect his fourth win from just 12 raceday starts. He will have the services of leading Darwin rider Jarrod Todd this time – Raymond Vigar and Deborah Barton were the earlier successful pilots – and from a nice barrier of four, he should be on the pace throughout and take plenty of running down.

I was taken with the effort of Laws Wars, trained by Kevin Lamprecht, when he chased home Leveraged Buyout over 1400m last time, and he had won his maiden over the same trip at his previous start. The son of Derryn from a Pins mare gives every impression that the further he goes the better he will perform, and he should again give a good account of himself in the hands of Jess Booth, who was aboard last time.

Pleasing Smile, a last-start winner in Darwin over 1200m when trained by Phil Cole, has entered the stable of local trainer Barry Cooke for this assignment and certainly looks like being very competitive. The son of Peltzer has been placed over this trip and was very strong winning last time out over a shorter distance. He looks capable of figuring in the finish and will have the services again of Raymond Vigar, who was aboard for his maiden win last time out on 27 March.

Garrix is an interesting runner. The son of Frankel finished second last time out over 1400m at Oakbank in his first start for Michael Hickmott, who has sent the 3yo north to Sheila and Keith Arnold to put the finishing touches to his preparation for the Guineas. Prior to him entering the Hickmott stable and co-ownership, he was trained by Chris Waller and was placed second over 1600m at Newcastle, an effort which would certainly give him a live chance here. Dom Tourneur, who knows this track so well having won a plethora of Alice Cups in the last 20 years, will be aboard and he must be included in your multiples.

Ashen Glow, trained by Lisa Whittle, was third behind Leveraged Buyout and Laws Wars last time and should again make his presence felt, while Whittle’s other runner is Beachbarbeckons, who has a win at Strathalbyn to his credit. Grinzinger Tundra, from the powerful Kerry Petrick barn, won first-up over a too-short 1000m here before finishing fourth to Leveraged Buyout and company when stepped out to 1400m. However, he has been placed over 2050m so this distance will be right in his wheelhouse.

Highstrung, although still a maiden, has gone some good races here and the trip should suit, while Gallahop, trained by Greg Connor, won his maiden over 1600m when trained by Richard Litt, and although having his first start on the track, cannot be discounted. All in all it is a fascinating renewal of the Guineas and each of the nine runners would appear to have some chance on paper.

Dakota Lee will be as interesting as anything on the day when she resumes from a 12-month plus break from racing in The Soldier Lightning. She has had her issues as has been well documented but the 7yo daughter of Kuroshio, the winner of 12 of her 13 career outings and unbeaten here, is a super galloper and judged on her trial in Darwin last week, there is no doubt she still retains all her ability. Drawn to advantage, as long as everything goes according to plan, she should be winning again.

Forms Of Fear, with 7kg less than Dakota Lee, has been racing well in the Top End and should give this a shake from gate 2, while Boldinho, who has won his last five starts in the Top End and carries the topweight of 63.5kg, must be considered although this will be on the short side for Gary Clarke’s 6yo son of Brazen Beau. Rewards And More, Zourata and Cotehele are others with prospects in a ripping sprint contest.

And in the 1900m lead-up to the Cup, Iknowhatyouredoing, Magic Defense and the Darwin visitors Maxxi Bon and Capitol Hill make most appeal. Magic Defense is untried at the trip but the other three all look like 1900m will be very suitable for them, having either won or competed well at middle distances. The Cup will start to take a little more shape with this race completed, ahead of the Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) next week.

The weather in Alice Springs this week has been beautifully fine and there appears to be no signs of that changing. The official forecast for today is short and sweet: Sunny. Light winds. The temperature is forecast to reach a perfect 30 degrees during the day, and it will be a very fresh 12 degrees overnight. There is a 0% chance of any rain.

The first race on the eight-race card gets underway at 12.58pm (NT time), which is 1.28pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 5.20pm (NT time), or 5.50pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R4 # 2 DAKOTA LEE
Last year’s Pioneer Sprint winner is back for another campaign, and has not raced since winning the Red Centre’s biggest sprint race on 5 April 2025. An aborted SA trip followed after which she had a long spell, but judged on her work and a trial in Darwin last week in which she looked like the 12-time unbeaten NT mare she is, she should be primed for this 1000m which will be her only run before looking to go back-to-back in the Pioneer. Dakota Gillett rides her namesake and it will be a shock indeed if she has her colours lowered.

R6 # 2 TAIPAN TOMMY
Chased home Step Forward over this trip a fortnight ago in his first start since 24 August last year. Has a tremendous record at this track, having won seven of his 16 starts, and has four track and distance victories from eight attempts. Kym Healy’s team has, as usual, hit the ground running in the Red Centre and from a nice draw of four from the 1400m, will take plenty of holding out in the hands of Aaron Sweeney.

R8 # 5 LEVERAGED BUYOUT
Son of Dundeel has done everything right in his two starts at Pioneer Park to date, winning first-up over this Guineas trip of 1600m before beating a number of his rivals today over 1400m a fortnight ago. Jarrod Todd takes over on the three-race winner and even though a nice field has been assembled, he looks the horse to beat over a track and trip at which he is one from one.

SELECTIONS

RACE 1 – 3, 6, 9, 1
RACE 2 – 3, 8, 2, 4
RACE 3 – 3, 2, 1, 6
RACE 4 – 2, 7, 1, 6
RACE 5 – 3, 1, 4, 5
RACE 6 – 2, 1, 9, 4
RACE 7 – 3, 2, 6, 9
RACE 8 – 8, 7, 9, 4

Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au