Alice Springs racing preview & best bets | Sunday, April 30
| What | Alice Springs Cup Carnival – Day 5 |
| Where | Pioneer Park Racecourse – Stuart Hwy, Connellan NT 0870 |
| When | Sunday, April 30, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:22pm ACST |
It’s the biggest day of the year for the Alice Springs Turf Club with the running of the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) and $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m). The fifth and final day of the 2023 Cup Carnival will host nine races with a bumper 107 acceptors vying for $420,000 in stakes. The Dick Leech-trained Write Your Name and the Tom Logan-trained Poupee are the early favourites in the Cup and Sprint, respectively.
It hasn’t rained in the Red Centre since April 16, but there was the likelihood of rain developing on Friday. Although there’s a five per cent chance of rain on Saturday, it should be sunny the entire weekend. South-easterly winds will bring a chill in the air on Sunday with a top temperature of 21C. The rail will be in the true position and Pioneer Park will be a good surface.
BEST BET: TAIPAN TOMMY
Has been in ripping form since arriving in the Red Centre and clearly loves the dirt after a last start win by 8.3 lengths over 1400m (0-58) on April 22. The last time the seven-year-old gelding raced over 1600m was way back in November 2021 when he finished 4.5 lengths adrift in fifth place at Strathalbyn at Benchmark 56 level – that is the only time he has featured over the mile. The son of Dark Valley did line up over 1550m (BM62) at Bordertown in December 2021 where he crossed the line in fourth place. Taipan Tommy had posted three wins from 26 starts before arriving in the NT and kicked off his Alice Springs campaign with a narrow win over 1100m (0-66) on April 8 before a second behind Envenomate over 1200m (0-66) on April 17. He dropped back in grade last Saturday and duly delivered in grand fashion to suggest that stepping up to 1600m may not prove such a major hurdle.
Best Bet
Race 5 – 
#1 Taipan Tommy (6)
7yo Gelding | T: Kym Healy | J: Stan Tsaikos (59.5kg)
NEXT BEST: GARRUCHA
Only five starters in the race for the three-year-olds and the son of Street Boss should make it a winning start to the day for punters. The gelding has had two wins from four starts at Pioneer Park and kicked off life in the NT with a third over 1100m (Class 2) behind Fluffy Bunny Feet on March 19 before taking out a 1200m maiden on March 25. Found the opposition a bit too slick when fifth over 1000m (0-62) behind Frilly Design before bouncing back to beat four other three-year-olds by 4.5 lengths as a $1.90 favourite over 1100m (BM66) last Saturday. Of the four rivals he will face on Sunday, three were scratched from Friday’s meeting with Flash Fiorente and Perisseuo are capable of challenging Garrucha. Hailing from the Mornington stables of Anthony and Sam Freedman, Garrucha finished second on debut in a 1000m Bendigo maiden and third in a 1200m Donald maiden last June.
Next Best
Race 1 – 
#1 Garrucha (1)
4yo Gelding | T: Russell Bell | J: Dan Morgan (59kg)
BEST VALUE: ESASHI
Since returning from a spell last October, the four-year-old mare’s record has been 4:2-1-2 in nine starts. In other words, the daughter of Kuroshio has been a model of consistency and steps back to 0-66 grade after a last start fourth behind Pioneer Sprint starter Early Crow over 1000m in open company on April 17. Before that race, Esashi had won three straight over 1000m (BM54) in January, 1000m (0-64) in February and 1000m (BM73) in March. The former Victorian sprinter from the Ben and JD Hayes stable chalked up her first Alice Springs win on November 26 over 1100m (BM54) and wasn’t all that far in her two appearances before and after that performance. After winning a 975m Swan Hill maiden in March last year, Esashi headed to the NT for a third over 1200m (BM68) in Alice on debut, a fifth over 1200m (Class 2) at Tennant Creek and a seventh over 1100m (Class 2) at Alice.
Best Value
Race 2 – 
#8 Esashi (4)
4yo Mare | T: Leanne Gillett | J: Dakota-Lee Gillett (58.5kg)
Sunday quaddie tips for Alice Springs races
Alice Springs quadrella selections
Sunday, April 30, 2023
- 3-4-12
- 1-6-7-9
- 1-2-4-5
- 1-2-4-8
Investment: $192 for 100%