Hunter doubles up, Supreme Attraction stars at Alice Springs
Terry Gillett’s Supreme Attraction and Darwin jockey Casey Hunter were the stars at Alice Springs on Sunday.
Supreme Attraction made it five straight wins in the Red Centre, while Hunter sealed a winning double on the five-race program.
They were back racing at Pioneer Park after the Alice Springs Turf Club elected to defer last Sunday’s meeting when a rain band engulfed Central Australia.
Gillett doesn’t give much away, but it’s almost certain that Supreme Attraction will head north for the Darwin Cup Carnival and contest the $135,000 Palmerston Sprint (1200m) on August 5.
The seven-year-old gelding has been in outstanding form since winning the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) with 54.5kg during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival on April 30.
Wins followed over 1000m (BM75), 1400m (BM76) and 1200m (open) where he was carrying up to 62.5kg, before getting the cash once more on Sunday in an 1100m BM76 while lumping 62kg.
With Gillett’s daughter Dakota-Lee in the saddle and claiming 2kg, Supreme Attraction ($2.70 eq fav) yet again left it late before sealing victory from Ray Viney’s $2.70 equal favourite Kickatorp (Jessie Philpot) and Greg Connor’s $5 hope Flying Start (Dan Morgan).
The son of Supreme Class missed the start before finding a winning path along the rails at the 400m, while Kickatorp was forced five wide at the turn and just couldn’t bridge the gap.
Alice Springs R2 replay – Supreme Attraction
Hunter finished second on the Carroll Hunter-trained Desert Lass in the Alice Springs Cup (2000m) behind Write Your Name on April 30, but the pair proved too good in a five-horse field over 1400m at BM76 level in the closer on Sunday.
The six-year-old mare trailed Gillett’s stablemates That’s Justified ($3.80) and Valley Prince ($5.50) most of the way, and had another Gillett runner in Bench Press ($3.20 fav) for company before mounting a challenge at the home turn.
Desert Lass – a $4.40 hope with the top online bookmakers – swooped with 100m to go to win by 0.79 lengths from Valley Prince (Gillett) and That’s Justified (Stan Tsaikos).
For Rock Hero’s daughter, it was her first win in nine starts after saluting on Darwin Cup Day last August over 2050m at open level for former trainer Lisa Whittle.
Alice Springs R5 replay – Desert Lass
She took the wide route aboard Desert Lass, but Hunter took a shorter path along the rails before guiding James Carroll’s Truckload Of Hoffa ($10) to victory in an 1100m 0-58 Handicap in race three – the eight-year-old gelding’s first win since October last year.
Square Cut, the $3.10 favourite, along with The Last Charge, Family Ties and Frilly Design battled for the early lead and it continued approaching the final bend with Truckload Of Hoffa two lengths adrift in fifth place.
With 350m to go there were horses everywhere with Truckload Of Hoffa, returning from a seven-month spell, making ground, while backmarkers Toffiato and Threetimeslucky were rattling home out wide.
In the end, Hunter’s mount – the son of Bon Hoffa – got there in a barnstorming finish to pip Viney’s Square Cut (Philpot) by 0.33 lengths with Greg Connor’s $10 runner Toffiato (Gillet) third.
Alice Springs R3 replay – Truckload Of Hoffa
The opening race was eventful as apprentice Lek Maloney made it seven career wins – five at Pioneer Park and two in Darwin – with his ride on Dan Morgan’s Angelluccis ($12) in a 1200m Class 2.
With Tycoons Dior on his inside and Boy Big on his outside, Angelluccis was sandwiched as the trio battled for supremacy.
Boy Big looked the winner with 400m to go, but Angelluccis swooped to win by 0.98 lengths from $2.90 favourite Quizzle, who flew home along the rails from the back of the field, with Rene Taylor’s $7 fancy Tycoons Dior third.
Alice Springs R1 replay – Angelluccis
After winning the Darwin Guineas on Saturday, Top End apprentice Emma Lines saluted aboard Will Savage’s five-year-old gelding Broad Outlook ($1.60 fav) over 1400m (0-58) in a contest that featured four runners.
The son of No Nay Never, a former NSW galloper, suffered a narrow second in his NT debut over 1600m (BM54) on June 18, but on Sunday he got to an early lead and dominated to topple Paul Gardner’s $5 contender Miss McGregor (Maloney) and Barry Cooke’s $9 starter Dor Dor (Hunter) by 2.73 lengths.