Andrew O’Toole’s Sunday best at Alice Springs (21/06)

By Andrew O’Toole

For the second successive Sunday, racing takes place at Ladbrokes Pioneer Park in the heart of Australia in Alice Springs, and although the fields range between six and eight runners, the Class 2 1200m was divided to allow all horses a run due to the fact that there will now be a fortnight until the next meeting in the Red Centre on 5 July. There are nine riders in attendance today, and all runners have been allocated a jockey so a decent fixture looks in store.

The highest rated race on the six-race card is the $28,000 Pure Plumbing Solutions Handicap, an Average Benchmark affair over 1400m. Just three trainers are represented in the six-horse field – Ray Viney has three runners engaged while Kym Healy has two – but I fancy Lisa Whittle’s sole representative Zestiman to return to the winner’s circle.

A 4yo son of Zoustar from an Exceed And Excel mare, Zestiman has had just seven runs in the NT – six in Alice and one in Tennant Creek – but his last four runs are evidence he has settled in well to his newish surroundings. His first glimpse of form in Alice Springs came on Cup weekend when he finished third to Black Zous and Dad Bod over 1000m, and at his next start in the Barkly he led throughout over 1200m to score in 0-70 company. He then returned to his home base for a third behind Black Zous and last week’s winner Luskin Hero over 1000m before being runner-up to the latter a week ago, this time over 1100m.

Paul Denton has been Zestiman’s regular rider for each of those four outings and obviously gets on well with the gelding, who has been well handled by Whittle. He has drawn nicely in barrier three and should make his presence felt again.

Rosebud Lass, one of the trio from the Viney yard, looks the hardest for Zestiman to beat. The lightly-raced daughter of Prince Of Caviar will be having just her seventh career outing, and she has already been in the winner’s enclosure on three occasions. She won twice during the recent Cup Carnival, on 18 April over 1400m and then when last produced on 2 May, she repelled the challenge of Collison and Mr Jones, again over 1400m, in a Benchmark 54 event.

She is obviously talented and although racing against horses who are better performed and have more wins on the board, she is an up-and-comer with definite claims of success here.

The Healy pair of Grinzinger Bishop and Alpine Flyer cannot be discounted either.

Grinzinger Bishop finished third as favourite behind Venting in the Tennant Creek Cup when last produced on 16 May, and as the winner of six races and over $270,000 in stakes, he must be respected. He raced well during the AS Cup Carnival, finishing second to subsequent Cup winner Magic Defense and then filled the same spot behind Maxxi Bon, before coming in fifth and beaten just 2.5 lengths behind Magic Defense in the Cup itself. He seems certain to be in Darwin following this run for a tilt at the major staying events of the Top End Carnival.

Alpine Flyer is a well-performed sprinter-miler who has just recently joined the Healy stable after earlier being trained by Travis Doudle, Michael Hickmott and Jim Smith respectively. Now a 7yo, the daughter of Alpine Eagle will be fresh-up for this assignment, having not started since late November last year. She has had two recent trials in Adelaide to fit her for this and a bold showing would not surprise.

Valimi and Grinzinger Lass, from the Viney team, complete the line-up and although they have been below their best lately, they could fill a place with things in their favour.

The $25,800 Wadelec NT Handicap is the day’s sub-feature, and the Benchmark 76 1100m has attracted a number of chances, including last week’s winner Luskin Hero and his Greg Connor-trained stablemate Delago Lad, the Healy pair of Pompeii Empire and Real Valentia, while Square Cut and Demiquaver make up the half-dozen.

The weather in the Red Centre this week has been mainly fine, although a cloud band and a couple of isolated showers were present in the middle part of the week. The official forecast for today reads: Cloud clearing. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening. The temperature is forecast to reach just a cool 17 degrees during the day, and it will be just 5 degrees overnight. There is a 10% chance of any rain.

The first race on the six-race card gets underway at 12.23pm (NT time), which is 12.53pm 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 # 2 BON’S A LAD
Although just a one-race winner, has been very consistent during his 18-start career and is getting close to another win. Ran third to Pub Crawl at Tennant Creek in mid-May before just being touched off by Standard Street here over 1100m on 30 May. Danielle Hirini, who was aboard last time, retains the mount for trainer Lisa Whittle and with even luck in the day’s opener over 1200m, should return to the winner’s circle.

R5 # 4 ZESTIMAN
Has really put it together in his last four starts, including a win at Tennant Creek over 1200m three starts back followed by a third to Black Zous over 1000m and a fighting second behind Luskin Hero here a week ago. Was beaten 2.3 lengths on that latest occasion and was able to beat home the in-form Black Zous. Regular rider Paul Denton will be in the saddle again and the 4yo son of Zoustar should be very hard to beat.

R6 # 3 OKESUTORA
Turned in a much-improved effort here a week ago over this distance of 1600m when fourth, and only beaten 1.6 lengths, behind Starton, The Accelator and Capistan. Led on that occasion and was only collared late but showed decent fight to just miss the placings. Lek Maloney goes aboard this time and his 1.5kg apprentice claim will bring him in well in this 0-64 event. Drawn the inside gate and should lead as he did last week, and a bold showing is again expected.