Desert Lass seeking Alice Springs Cup fairytale for Hunter

April 5, 2024 10:27 pm.

Red Centre trainer Carrol Hunter with partner Ken Rogerson, a former leading trainer in New Zealand, Victoria and Alice Springs trainer, who passed away in January.

There will be emotion when the Carrol Hunter-trained Desert Lass lines up in the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) on Sunday.

The seven-year-old mare, second in the Red Centre’s biggest race last year, makes her third and final appearance in the feature, with Hunter confirming that she will retire at the end of the season following the Darwin Cup Carnival.

Whether this weekend will be her final Pioneer Park start is unknown, but recent form suggests that with 55.5kg the daughter of Rock Hero is a serious Cup hope.

The tears will be flowing should Desert Lass win after Hunter’s partner Ken Rogerson, a prominent NZ, Victorian and Alice Springs trainer, passed away in January.

Sixth in last year’s Darwin Cup (2050m) in August, Desert Lass has had six starts back in Alice for two wins, two seconds, and a third.

Victory over 1400m (BM76) on March 2 was followed by a third (1600m) on March 9 and a second (1900m) on March 27 in open company.

Desert Lass’ record for Hunter is 15:3-5-2; the mare’s overall record after 40 Alice Springs starts and five Darwin starts is 45: 9-13-7.

“She’s going as well as last year, it was a really good run in the 1900m with 60kg,” Hunter said.

“She had 4kg more than any other runner, a great conditioning run for Sunday.

“She’s not a big burly mare, just a rare horse that puts in every start.”

Missing the opportunity to train the mare in 2020 before she was transferred from the Scott Westover stable to the Lisa Whittle yard, Desert Lass ended up with Hunter a year ago when Whittle relocated temporarily to SA.

Hunter, who has won Alice Springs’ 1200m Pioneer Sprint (Dry ‘N’ Sober) and Darwin’s 1200m Palmerston Sprint (Bowline), is looking forward to the Cup.

“We’ve drawn very well (three), so hopefully that puts us in a nice position,” she said.

“She’ll hopefully be more forward than too far back, that helps on this track.”

Desert Lass is owned by Chris Douglas, who has enjoyed a personal and professional rapport with Hunter.

“Chris has owned horses with Ken and I for some 25 years,” Hunter said.

“She owned an Alice store and I worked for her for more than 10 years.

“She’s a very good friend, Chris actually owned horses with Ken and I before I started working for her.

“I think Chris is pretty happy with the job of done with Desert Lass.”

Hunter, a licenced person with the Alice Springs Turf Club since 1983 as a track rider, stablehand, and trainer, has been in the thoughts of the NT racing community since Rogerson’s passing.

“I miss Ken, but the support has been wonderful – winning the Cup will be a fairytale,” she said.

“Casey Hunter, Desert Lass’ regular rider, has been a huge support, which I really do appreciate.

“She came down from Darwin earlier in the year.

“She has been riding work and is probably one of the hardest working jockeys there is.”