Three horse race for the 2022 Alice Springs Cup at Pioneer Park
ALICE SPRINGS CUP PREVIEW
IN the week leading up to the $110,000 Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup (2000m), the market has suggested it’s a three-horse race.
Therefore you’re winner will either be Northern Territory pair I Am The Fox from the Garry Lefoe Jnr stable or Mark Nyhan’s Trident, or South Australian raider Lord Bouzeron from the Michael Hickmott yard.
All three bring an outstanding resume to the table, but horse racing doesn’t necessarily work that way.
Anything can happen in the Alice Springs Turf Club’s biggest race of the year at Pioneer Park on Sunday.
But it would come as a surprise if neither of the trio saluted.
Late Saturday afternoon, Lord Bouzeron (Blaike McDougall) was a narrow $3.20 favourite with Palmerbet from I Am The Fox (Paul Shiers) at $3.30 and Trident (Sonja Wiseman) at $4.
The only other starter in the 11 horse field under double figure odds is Hickmott’s other runner Donan Roman (Simon Miller), who finished second in last year’s Darwin Cup (2050m), who has been quoted at $8.50.
Danon Roman only returned to action in March for three unplaced starts in Adelaide from 1200-1600m.
I Am The Fox is aiming to defend his Alice Springs Cup crown after setting a track record 12 months ago for the 2000m by clocking 1.59.73 .
He carried 54kg in 2021, but this year he has 60kg on his back.
The eight-year-old gelding also starred during the Darwin Cup Carnival last year and at his last start in Alice Springs was a most impressive winner of the Indervon Handicap (1900m) against open company.
“They will have to be on their best game to get him because he really loves this track,” Lefoe said.
“He will be peaking on Cup Day.
“They will need to be breaking two minutes to beat him I reckon.”
Trident has been a model of consistency from 1100-1600m in Darwin since relocating from the Red Centre after last year’s Alice Springs Cup, and after a slight hiccup upon his return to Pioneer Park proved too good for his rivals over 1600m in open company before a stunning win in the Chief Ministers Cup WFA (1600m).
Whether or not the four-year-old gelding will get the 2000m carrying 59kg is significant after finishing third in the NT Derby (2050m) and ninth in the Darwin Cup (2050m) at Fannie Bay last year.
“He’s developed into a good miler and has a fair amount of speed which helps,” Nyhan said.
“He can position himself back and then make a run – he’s a very smart horse.
“I’ve had some alright horses over the years, but he is far away the best I’ve ever had.”
Lord Bouzeron, who finished fifth in the 2021 Alice Springs Cup, is a massive chance after a third against 0-72 opposition (2032m) at Morphettville before a narrow second in the $107,000 Neutrog Onkaparinga Cup (2150m) at Oakbank in April.
The former New Zealand five-year-old gelding has also competed with distinction in Victoria and South Australia, and with just 54kg on his back will and is bound to attract plenty of support.
“I think Lord Bouzeron is heading in the right direction. He’s been set for this race,” Hickmott said.
“Last year was a bit of a rush mission and it just didn’t work out really well.
“I think this year he’s been racing really well. His last two starts have been fantastic at 2000m.”
Recent form suggests that Gary Clarke’s seven-year-old gelding Count Of Essex (Jarrod Todd), currently $11 with the top bookmakers, and Will Savage’s four-year-old gelding Masaru Warrior (Casey Hunter), currently $12, cannot be overlooked.
Dylan Bairstow, the Alice Spring Turf Club’s racecaller, has cast his eye on the Cup.
“It’s a good even field. You’ve obviously got three major hopes,” he said.
“Last year’s winner I Am The Fox.
“Trident has done nothing wrong. His mile record is terrific – but he has got a slight question about the 2000.
“He got beaten in the NT Derby (2050m) last year up in Darwin.
“Danon Roman ran second in the Darwin Cup last year and Lord Bouzeron ran in the Alice Springs Cup last year and finished fifth – but he just didn’t get the best of luck.
“He sort of got back and shuffled back in the run first time on the dirt which is always a concern.
“Probably the only one with a lightweight chance is Masaru Warrior, formerly with Leon McDonald and Andrew Gluyas down in South Australia.
“It took a little while to find his best form, but now his last three runs have been really good.
“He was a surprise winner three starts ago, then he’s really backed that up with two solid seconds.
“The distance will be no problem, but he probably lacks that class edge.
“I think I Am The Fox will probably go back to back, I do.
“His run in the 1900 – he was first up off a slight freshen up and he looked really good and strong.
“I think he will probably win even though he’s got to lump his 60kg while one of his hardest dangers has 59kg, so he’s probably not too bad off in that sense.”