A more than handy five-race card awaits us in the Red Centre today, with no less than 41 acceptors down to compete. With ten riders in attendance, including seven travelling down from Darwin on the charter flight (no Qantas Sunday morning flight between Darwin and Alice), all runners will get a run at the first of two meetings in Alice Springs during the month of June, with the second fixture to be held next Sunday.

The feature is the day’s opener, the $28,000 BT Daley Painting Contractors Handicap for the open sprinters over 1200m. A field of six will contest the event and although on the small side, the field brings together numerous chances. I have settled on the Greg Connor-trained Luskin Hero as my selection, but he will certainly not have it all his own way.

An 8yo son of Kaphero, Luskin Hero is the winner of seven of his 40 starts, and with 12 minor placings as well, he has been a consistent performer for his connections. He did put together three consecutive wins during his last campaign and although winless since, his last-start second to Black Zous on 30 May was an indication that he is nearing his best again.

He only had two starts during the recent AS Cup Carnival and finished out of the money on both occasions. But once he strikes form, as evidenced last campaign, he normally retains a good level of consistency and that being the case, I believe he will take plenty of beating here.

Black Zous will certainly be no easy nut to crack, although the increase in distance from 1000m to 1200m may test him. He has won once at the distance from 15 starts, and just lately, his best form has been at the shorter trips. He won his last two races over 1000m on AS Cup Day (4 May) and then a fortnight ago, and Ianish Luximon takes the mount this week. He has drawn the outside gate of six and will have to be on his game to make it three in a row.

Delago Lad, the topweight and a stablemate of Luskin Hero, failed last time out in the Pioneer Sprint, ending up 10th behind Dakota Lee and company. He had won three of his previous four starts, however, and was absolutely flying leading up to the big AS sprint. He should certainly be allowed a chance to get back to his best, and the 3kg apprentice claim for Jess Booth brings him in very well with just 56kg. He has drawn in the middle of the line (3) and should be prominent for a long way.

Zestiman, from the Lisa Whittle stable, has only been in the Alice for a short time but has shown enough to warrant a chance here. He finished third on AS Cup Day behind Black Zous before an all-the-way win over 1200m at Tennant Creek on 16 May. He returned to the Red Centre a fortnight ago and chased home Black Zous and Luskin Hero, so reverting to the longer 1200m trip looks suitable for him. Paul Denton rides and from the inside gate, he has to be strongly considered.

Stablemate Demiquaver has just struggled to find her best lately, finishing fifth at her last three outings, but her form of the previous campaign was sound and she is another with claims, with Mougenot has assembled a pretty good record in his 19 starts to date and with Jess Philpot in the saddle, is another with claims to success in a most even contest.

There are two 0-64 events on the card – the Ladbrokes Red Centre Winter Series Handicap (Ht 3) and the Happy Birthday Terry Huish Handicap, the former over 1100m and the latter over the longer trip of 1400m.

Brat, a last-start impressive winner for Carrol Hunter, looks the testing material in the 1100m dash, while stablemate The Big Freeze, who was also in the winner’s circle last time he raced, should again prove hard to beat in the 1400m. Both are to be ridden by apprentice Deborah Barton, who rode a treble the last time she travelled to the Red Centre a fortnight ago.

The weather in the Red Centre this week has been fine and pleasant, bit still with the temperatures down to single digits overnight. The official forecast for today reads: Mostly sunny. Light winds. The temperature is forecast to reach 26 degrees during the day, and it will be a manageable 12 degrees overnight. There is no chance of any rain.

The first race on the five-race card gets underway at 12.53pm (NT time), which is 1.33pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 3.12pm (NT time), or 3.42pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R1 # 3 LUSKIN HERO
Just touched off by Black Zous, a rival again, last time they met on 30 May, the margin just a nose. That was over 1000m and the extra 200m will be to Greg Connor’s 8yo’s liking. Drawn nicely in barrier two and has the services of Hannah Le Blanc, who rode a double in Darwin last week. The winner of seven of his 40 starts looks on target to make that eight career wins in the day’s opener.

R2 # 2 BRAT
Quality sprinter who bolted in here last time in his first start for Carrol Hunter. Formerly trained by Terry Gillett, the 7yo son of Reward For Effort has been a great moneyspinner for his connections, having won no less than 13 races during his 59-start career. Deborah Barton, who did the steering last time, is again aboard and her 2kg claim is certainly a help. Has won three times over this trip of 1100m and can do so again from a handy draw of four.

R5 # 3 STARTON
Does not win out of turn but seldom goes a bad race either for trainer Kerry Petrick. Won five starts back on 4 April and has since finished fourth, fifth, second and third in four subsequent runs. Has only attempted 1600m on four occasions for a win and a second, and regular rider Ianish Luximon will be aboard from barrier five. Looks a winnable race for the son of Tosen Stardom.

SELECTIONS

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

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