Frustrating week for Gillett stable ends on positive note

February 26, 2023 7:04 am.

Alice Springs trainer Leanne Gillett and daughter Dakota-Lee, a first-year apprentice, are all smiles after they combined to get Esashi home at Pioneer Park on Saturday. Picture: Nikki Westover Photography

Last Saturday the Gillett stable in Alice Springs was feeling pretty low, but it’s amazing how things can turn around in a week.

Unbeaten four-year-old mare Dakota Lee, trained by Terry Gillett, was due to make her long-awaited return last weekend at Pioneer Park, but was scratched when she refused to enter the barriers.

The same situation applied when the daughter of Kuroshio failed to feature in the $50,000 NT Guineas (1600m) in the Red Centre last April after declining to take her place in the gates.

Stepping up to open company for the first time over 1000m in her first start in 10 months, Alice Springs’ Sprinter of the Year for 2022 was favourite as she strived for her eighth win before being withdrawn.

Gillett’s daughter Dakota-Lee Gillett, a first-year apprentice, was to ride Dakota Lee – whom she was named after – for the first time, but sadly that never eventuated.

Good fortune smiled on the Gillett’s on Saturday when the in-form Esashi, trained by Leanne Gillett – Terry’s wife and Dakota-Lee’s mum – made it back to back wins with victory against decent opposition over 1000m (0-64).

With Dakota-Lee on board, Esashi ($6.50) jumped well and after skipping to a handy three length lead at the 600m maintained her advantage in the home straight to prevail by two lengths from Trevor Montgomerie’s stablemates A Thousand Degrees (Paul Denton) and Zoutons (Casey Hunter).

For Esashi, a four-year-old mare, that made it three wins from her past five starts and in her other two starts she managed a second and a third – Dakota-Lee’s 3kg claim on Saturday also helped.

It was back to back seconds in as many weeks for A Thousand Degrees ($5), who impressed on debut at Pioneer Park last March and April, while Zoutons ($3.30 fav) was making his first Alice Springs appearance and will benefit from the run.

Dakota-Lee has now ridden five winners for the season in the Red Centre to join Ianish Luximon as the leading apprentice and is in good touch as she prepares to represent the NT in Heat 1 of the National Apprentice Race Series at Darwin’s Fannie Bay next Saturday (March 4).

Meanwhile, Dakota Lee is set to join the stable of Tony and Calvin McEvoy at Ballarat after Terry Gillett made the decision to send the mare south after her latest barrier issue.

The mare, who had a stint with Strathalbyn trainer Greg Lesnikowski where she finished second in a 950m trial at Murray Bridge last July, has now received three separate embargoes from stewards due to her reluctance to enter the barriers.

It is hoped that her stint in Victoria, where she has never raced competitively on grass, will help resolve Dakota Lee’s claustrophobia problem with the McEvoy stable having the staff and resources that will hopefully get her back on track.

Gillett’s speedster will then have to trial to the satisfaction of stewards before being cleared to race.

One other talented mare, the 10-year-old Roughly, made it 18 wins from 63 starts on the four-race card with victory for trainer Paul Gardner over 1100m (BM76) despite lumping 62.5kg.

Backing up from a last start fourth over 1000m in open company the previous week – where she also carried 62.5kg – Roughly (Sonja Wiseman) was simply too good and was never seriously challenged after jumping to an early lead.

Roughly ($2.50 fav), who has now won eight of her past 16 starts from 1100-1600m since July last year, has only finished out of a place once in her last 12 appearances – that was last weekend.

It’s a remarkable story when discussing Roughly, but she had 4.3 lengths up her sleeve on Saturday with Greg Connor’s $3.80 hope Miles Prower (Jessie Philpot) and Lisa Whittle’s $14 chance Mathematics (Dan Morgan) pipping Terry Gillett’s $4.80 contender Supreme Times (Gillett) in a close battle for the minor placings.

Trainer Dick Leech made it 10 wins in six consecutive Alice Springs meetings when five-year-old gelding Envenomate (Phillip Crich) produced a big finish to win on debut at Pioneer Park over 1200m (Class 2).

Leech, who has enjoyed endless success with new arrivals to the NT and who currently has a good one on his hands in Kerioth, is in red-hot form and all augers well with the Alice Springs Cup Carnival starting on April 8.

Envenomate ($5) had not raced since a last start win over 1410m (BM50) on a Heavy 9 at Grafton last September, but gobbled up his rivals in the home straight after settling in fifth place mid-race to overcome in-form pair Manhattan Man (Morgan), Connor’s $7.50 runner up, and Nordic Lass (Gillett), Gardner’s $6.50 with the top betting sites third placegetter, by a length and a half.

Not only did the Barry Cooke-trained filly Jewel Roca (Hunter) win her first race in the Alice when she sealed victory against fellow three-year-olds over 1100m, but it was also her first career start.

In an open four-horse affair following the scratching of the Leech-trained Barani, who would have started as a warm favourite, Jewel Roca ($5.50) sat well adrift in fourth place before winding up at the 600m.

Will Savage’s $2.60 favourite Paketta (Luximon) held sway from the outset and still looked a good chance turning for home, but Cooke’s new arrival swooped at the 200m to win by a length with Savage’s $3.40 representative Bon Bandeau (Wiseman) a distant third from Connor’s $3.40 candidate Big Feelings (Philpot).

After finishing fourth in a 900m trial at Beaudesert last August, Jewel Roca won a 850m trial at the Sunshine Coast on January 10 before calling the NT home.