Dakota Gillett lands Alice Springs double in happy homecoming
She is currently working on her craft under the guidance of leading Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker, but for Alice Springs apprentice Dakota Gillett it’s nice to get a win back home.
Landing a double makes it even better.
Success aboard Dan Morgan’s +320 hope Boy Big in the opening race on Sunday made it 33 wins for Gillett, while win 34 was achieved on +230 fancy Supreme Times for her dad, Terry.
Constant travel isn’t new for the 18-year-old, who went to Darwin, Townsville, Rockhampton, Balaklava, Murray Bridge and the Gold Coast before securing her licence last year.
The teenager finished second in last season’s Alice Springs jockeys’ premiership with 24 wins – four behind leading rider Sonja Logan.
She now shares the lead this season with Darwin-based Adam Nicholls on five wins.
Gillett has ridden interstate previously, and although she has prospered in SA, she’s had no luck in NSW.
Boy Big, a six-year-old gelding, is in terrific form, as the victory over 1200m at 0-70 level was his fourth from his past five Pioneer Park starts, with Gillett riding on three of those.
Although Gillett claims 2kg, it was a super effort by Boy Big as he missed the start in the five-horse field and sat four deep when he battled for the lead passing the 500m.
Turning for home with 320m to go, it was a three-way go between Boy Big, Paul Gardner’s Perkova – camped on the rails – and Ray Viney’s Strike Eagle – sandwiched between the pair.
In an exciting finish, only 0.6 lengths separated the trio with Boy Big edging out +750 chance Perkova and -200 favourite Strike Eagle.
Alice Springs R1 replay – Big Boy – T: Dan Morgan
Supreme Times, who seems to play second fiddle to half-brother and 2023 Pioneer Sprint winner Supreme Attraction, made it 13 wins from 54 starts in the open 1100m handicap.
Sitting outside stablemate Macer’s Razor (+8000) early in the piece in the five-horse field, Supreme Times was content before yet another stablemate in -333.33 favourite Great Buy joined the fray at the 400m when looking to split the leading pair.
Another three-way battle in the home straight loomed, but with 100m to go Supreme Times kicked clear of Great Buy, a winner three weeks ago at BM76 level, to prevail by 1.3 lengths with Macer’s Razor a distant third.
Supreme Times, a former NSW galloper, is an eight-year-old gelding by Supreme Class and boasts nine wins and seven minor placings from 29 Red Centre starts.
Terry Gillett also trained fourth-placed Tintern Power, while wife Leanne trained fifth-placed Jen’s Reward.
Alice Springs R2 replay – Supreme Times – T: Terry Gillett
It was a big day for the female riders with Darwin trio Emma Lines, Casey Hunter and Logan triumphing in the remaining three races on Greg Connor’s +1000 candidate Quanapirri Bay, Lisa Whittle’s +220 prospect Nicotera, and Gardner’s +200 favourite Red Wraith, respectively.
In the 1100m maiden, 17-year-old apprentice Lines – fresh from a winning double at Darwin on Saturday – put in a classy performance on four-year-old gelding Quanapirri Bay.
The son of Rubick, making his third start, hit the front when they jumped before relinquishing the lead to Drawn To Win, who skipped two lengths clear exiting the back straight.
The other nine runners were giving the leading pair a fair start as Quanapirri Bay started to make ground on Drawn To Win’s inside once straightening for home.
With 100m to go the backmarkers were coming, but Quanapirri Bay held on by 0.7 of a length from stablemate and +270 favourite Black Shiraz, a distant seventh passing the 800m on his Alice debut, and Leanne Gillett’s +800 runner Li’lmissprancealot, last at the home turn after botching the start.
Alice Springs R3 replay – Quanapirri Bay – T: Greg Connor
Not only was it back-to-back wins for Red Wraith, a four-year-old gelding, but victory over 1000m against BM54 opposition allowed Gardner, currently the Alice’s leading trainer, to celebrate his birthday in style.
Red Wraith pinged out of the gates and never left the fence, and although challenged early by Talent Quest and Esashi, it was a different story mid-race when the son of Charm Spirit started flexing some muscle.
With 400m to go and Logan dictating terms, Red Wraith hit the front and once turning for home only extended his lead to overcome Will Savage’s stablemates Talent Quest (+280), who travelled three deep throughout, and NT debutante Boss Shelby (+450) by four lengths.
Alice Springs R4 replay – Red Wraith – T: Paul Gardner
Nicotera received late support from punters prior to the 1400m race at 0-64 level to close the program.
The seven-year-old gelding by Nicconi took the lead at the 1200m and ran the show to seal his debut win at the track at the 11th attempt.
Hunter, who hadn’t ridden a winner in Central Australia since landing a double in July, produced a super ride on Nicotera as the pair won by two lengths from Viney’s gutsy +6000 outsider Shoal River and Connor’s +1200 contender Vitesse Breeze.