Andrew O’Toole’s Sunday best at Alice Springs (20/09)

By Andrew O’Toole

Racing takes place in the Red Centre for the second successive weekend, and even though the meeting features only four races – the maiden failed to attract sufficient numbers and was deleted – the fields on the whole are fairly competitive for this time of the year. Incidentally, AS has a fortnight until its next meeting, the first of three in October, on the first Sunday of the month, NRL Grand Final Day.

The main race of the day is the last, the $28,000 Derby Day 31st October Handicap (1400m), and leading trainer Kerry Petrick has four of the six runners engaged. And I am keen once again on one of her charges, topweight Bahama Bay, to continue on his winning way and record a third successive victory.

Bahama Bay has been a great money-spinner for Petrick and the 7yo’s connections since being purchased from the Magic Millions Tried Horse Sale held in Alice Springs in early May 2025. He has won 11 of his 37 starts all told, and with nine placings as well, has stakes approaching $300,000. He was not at his best during the recent Darwin Cup Carnival but since returning to his home base in Alice Springs, he finished fourth in early August before a dominant win against good company in the Average Benchmark 66 event on Truckies Day (28 August), better known as the Cummins Cup, over 1400m.

He then came out again last week and dropped back to 1200m, was still too good in a Benchmark 76 event up against five rivals. In his last two wins he has carried 62.5kg and 61.5kg respectively, while today, in an open handicap, he has been allotted 59kg which will be reduced further to 57.5kg courtesy of apprentice Lek Maloney’s claim. He is therefore in very well at the weights and in his current form, he seems certain to prove very hard to beat back to 1400m.

Flying Start looks one of the main dangers to Bahama Bay. Greg Connor’s 8yo son of Flying Artie, the winner of eight of his 52 starts, has been racing as well as ever lately and his last-start second to Bahama Bay in the Cummins Cup, beaten just a length, was a tremendous effort. He carried 57.5kg on that occasion and drops to the minimum of 55kg here, which should bring him right into the picture. That said, he was receiving 5kgs from Bahama Bay when they last met, and this time the difference is just 2.5kg, so taking weights and measures into account, it looks difficult for him to turn the tables on the topweight.

Nevertheless, he has been consistent in recent starts and was a winner over this trip back on 26 July in a 0-70 event. His record at the trip is 15 starts for a win, four seconds and four thirds, so he is certainly adept at the 1400m. And Paul Denton, who has been aboard for his last four starts, knows him well and will again have the steer.

Another of the “non-Petrick” runners, Grinzinger Lass, I have selected for third in the event. Trained by Ray Viney, Grinzinger Lass last won on 12 July over this trip, and has since finished twice third and twice fourth. She was third to Bahama Bay in the Cummins Cup at the end of August before a close-up fourth to stablemate Stella Bystarlight here a week ago over 1200m. This trip will suit her better and she has only finished out of the first three once in seven starts over 1400m. Ianish Luximon, who booted home his 100th career winner last Saturday aboard Frankfurt, again has the mount and he should be up and about given last week’s milestone victory.

Matron Samsing, the St Patrick’s Cup winner on the Pioneer Park track for Petrick earlier this year, comes off a last-start win over 1350m at Kununurra on 29 August and with three weeks between runs and over her favourite trip, she rates highly here. She never really hit her straps in Darwin during the recent Carnival but showed with a third and a last-start win in WA that she is returning to something like her best. Apprentice Deborah Barton will take a couple of kilos off her back so she will be in with a featherweight of 53kg, and look to her to be hitting the line with gusto late.

Petrick’s other two runners, Princess Pancakes and Magarten, should not be discounted either.

Princess Pancakes finished a respectable third last start in the Kununurra Cup behind Vevinsky and Leveraged Buyout, and at her previous outing, was fourth behind Barocco Bar and company in the Katherine Cup. Although dropping back in trip here, she has won no less than five times over 1400m and with the in-form Danielle Hirini in the saddle, she is not without a chance.

Magarten, purchased out of the Magic Millions Tried Horse Sale held in AS in early May, has yet to record her first win in the Territory but has been placed on a couple of occasions, once in Darwin and then at Kununurra, and if she puts it altogether in this she could well get some of it. NSW hoop Billy Cray, who rode a double the last time he competed in the Red Centre, has the mount and she could cause a surprise.

The weather in the Red Centre this week has been mainly fine and sunny, with improving temperatures and light winds. The official forecast for today reads: Sunny. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning. The temperature is forecast to reach a lovely 32 degrees during the day, and it will be 15 degrees overnight. There is no chance of any rain.

The first race on the four-race card gets underway at 1.20pm (NT time), which is 1.50pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at the mid-afternoon time of 3.07pm (NT time), or 3.37pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R2 # 4 DOWN THE WICKET
Capable sprinter who was not far away during the recent Darwin Cup Carnival, picking up a second, three thirds and a fourth from five starts. His last-start third to Cavern and Littlebourkestreet on 3 August was very good, and having had a freshen-up since returning to his home base in the Red Centre, he should be cherry ripe for this. Doesn’t appear the strongest field on paper and even though yet to win at this distance of 1000m, can make his presence felt.

R3 # 1 KIEFFER
Another who raced during the Darwin Cup Carnival, he returned to the Red Centre and was immediately back in the winner’s circle over this trip of 1400m on 28 August. Contests another BM54 and although up 1.5kg in weight, still looks well placed. Has drawn a little awkwardly in barrier six but is a fairly versatile customer and rider Ianish Luximon, who brought up his 100th career win last week, will still be bouncing! Can make it two on end.

R4 # 1 BAHAMA BAY
Quality performer who will be looking for his third successive win for Kerry Petrick. Won the Cummins Cup over 1400m two starts back before dropping back to 1200m and repeating the dose last weekend. Back up to 1400m should suit and the 11-race winner drops a total of 4kg in weight in this open handicap, helped by Lek Maloney’s 1.5kg apprentice claim. That will make him very competitive once again and from the inside gate, should get a lovely run in transit. The one to beat.