Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best at Alice Springs (07/11)

By Andrew O’Toole

For the second successive weekend, and to coincide with Champions Day, the last of the Spring Carnival fixtures at Flemington, racing will take place at Pioneer Park and like last week, a six-race card is on the agenda with some decent fields and nine riders in attendance.

Following this meeting, the Red Centre embarks on fortnightly racing right through to 13 March next year, when weekly racing returns in the build-up to the Alice Springs Cup Carnival in April and early May. There will be another meeting in November (21st) before two meetings in December, three in January and two in February, with three meetings in consecutive weeks in March.

The feature on today’s card is the $28,000 Happy Birthday Cathy Starr Handicap, an open handicap over 1200m, which is 100m more than the open that was won by Golden Tunes so impressively last week. There is no Golden Tunes this time and Kerry Petrick has half the six-horse field engaged, while Greg Connor has a two-pronged attack. But I fancy last week’s impressive lower grade winner Tellez, trained by Petrick, to again give his rivals something to chase.

Tellez, a 6yo son of Harry Angel, has been racing in good heart since returning to home base from the Darwin Cup Carnival, and has won two of his last three, one over 1200m and the other, last time, over 1100m. He gave his 0-64 rivals a galloping lesson last week, going straight to the front and scoring untouched by 5.3 lengths from Verbosity and Real Valentia in a smart time of 1:02.76.

Although this is a good deal harder, he gets in well at the weights due to Lek Maloney’s 1.5kg apprentice claim, which reduces his weight to 55.5kg. Last week when so impressive, he carried 58.5kg, so a 3kg reduction this time will certainly be an advantage. He will step from barrier four and will no doubt be sent forward to either lead on his own or sit right on the speed, and with luck in running, he should be very hard to beat again.

Hardest to beat may well be one of Connor’s pair, Boy Big. Although now a 9yo, he has twice finished second from three starts this campaign, and his last-start effort behind Golden Tunes a week ago was first-class. He is the winner of 13 races, five over this trip of 1200m, and has a dozen wins on the track to his credit. Veteran rider Paul Denton, who knows him well, will again have the steer and look to Boy Big to be hitting the line with gusto late.

Black Zous, the second of the Petrick trio, has had two runs back this campaign, leading throughout first-up on 10 October before a good third to Golden Tunes and Boy Big a week ago. At his best when allowed his own rules in front, he will need to begin well from barrier five to get the best chance in running, but he is racing well and Ianish Luximon has the ride.

Topweight Bahama Bay, after putting two wins together in August and September, has lost his way a little in his most recent three starts. However, he is far better than that and Stan Tsaikos, who was aboard when fourth last week behind Golden Tunes, will again take the reins aboard the 7yo son of Holler. Bahama Bay has been a great money spinner for his connections and he can easily return to something like his best in this event.

Limited Risk, trained by Kym Healy and to be ridden by Shuichi Terachi who had his first experience of Pioneer Park a week ago, has won here previously and been placed on a further four occasions. This distance is up his alley, having won and been placed seven times, and from the inside gate, he should get a good run in transit.

Flying Yishu (Connor) completes the line-up and although down the track at his first run back this campaign, he has a good second-up record – two wins and four seconds from seven attempts – so he could easily get some of it. Jess Booth, who rode a double at last week’s meeting, will claim 2kg, reducing Flying Yishu’s weight to 55.5kg, a luxury for a horse of his calibre.

The weather in the Red Centre this week has been mainly fine, with some temperatures around the 40 degree mark earlier in the week. The official forecast for today reads: Mostly sunny morning. Slight chance of a shower in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the day. There is just a 20% chance of any rain.

The first race on the six-race card gets underway at 12.55pm (NT time), which is 2.25pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 4.10pm (NT time), or 5.40pm in New South Wales and Victoria.

BEST BETS

R1 # 3 MAPLETON HILL
Twelve-start maiden who has been threatening to break through for an overdue win just lately. Fourth in a 3&4YO 1200m here a week ago and not beaten far behind You’resogolden and company. Back to maiden grade here and looks to have found a winnable assignment. In-form stable and rider and has the ace draw. Should give a good account of himself.

R3 # 6 TELLEZ
Led last week in a 0-64 and bolted in by over five lengths. Carried 58.5kg on that occasion and drops in weight here to 55.5kg with Lek Maloney’s claim. Admittedly takes on open grade but with only five rivals and in the same or similar form to last week, he must again be hard to beat from a middle barrier over a trip he has won at on two occasions.

R4 # 1 DAD BOD
First-up from a spell, having last raced on 8 August, and has won in a fresh state previously. Has won twice previously on his home track and is also a winner over this distance of 1100m. Gets in well with the claim and this field does not look overly strong on paper. Should bounce from a middle gate and take a good deal of catching.