More Alice Springs Cup Carnival success for Kym Healy
Strathalbyn trainer Kym Healy heads home after once again having success during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival, which concluded on Sunday.
Healy has had constant success in the Red Centre over the years and is a former two-time winner of the Alice Springs Cup with Pretty Blonde.
Over the five days of action in April that accommodated 39 races, Healy ended up with six winners to finish second behind the high-flying Dick Leech.
Leech, who won the Alice Springs Cup (2000m) on Sunday with Write Your Name (Jade Hampson), got 10 horses over the line.
That included five winners on Day 2, a seven-race meeting on April 17, with Envenomate, Early Crow, Write Your Name, Kerioth and Century Fox, who won the NT Guineas (1600m) that day, all saluting.
Healy’s handy duo I’m A Legend, an eight-year-old gelding, and Taipan Tommy, a seven-year-old gelding, caught the eye and were among the best horses to feature at Pioneer Park during the carnival.
I’m A Legend (Ianish Luximon) was impressive en route to victory over 1100m (0-66) on Sunday after settling midfield – he was eighth at the 600m – before finding a path along the rails to secure a narrow win at a juicy $9 from Ray Viney’s Kickadrop (Jessie Philpot) and Kerry Petrick’s New Roman (Paul Denton).
A first-up second behind an in-form Early Crow in open company over 1000m on April 17, I’m A Legend was scratched at the barriers on April 22 and missed out facing Leech’s Madam Mischief, who would end up winning the Queen Of The Desert on Day 4, over 1100m (0-70).
Alice Springs R2 replay – I’m A Legend (1st)
Taipan Tommy (Stan Tsaikos) stepped up to the 1600m for only the second time in his career, and although he was facing some rivals who were backing up from Friday he proved far too good for Petrick’s Mangione (Casey Hunter), a winner on Day 4, and Leech’s Miracoli (Kyra Yuill).
He went into the race as the $2.10 favourite to cap off a wonderful Alice Springs trip where he also won over 1100m (0-66), finished second over 1200m (0-66) behind Envenomate, and got up by eight lengths over 1400m (0-58).
Healy’s fellow South Australian trainer Nicole Irwin, who picked up four wins during the carnival, also has a decent horse on her hands in four-year-old gelding Eureka’s Victory, who had the services of local apprentice Dakota-Lee Gillett in all four starts.
After toppling three- and four-year-old opposition over 1600m (BM68) on Friday, Irwin was adamant the horse could back up on Sunday, and he duly delivered at $2.60 by winning over 2000m (BM76) from Healy’s Paulo Pace (Luximon) and Gary Clarke’s $2.25 favourite Ironedge (Jarrod Todd).
Ironedge was relegated from second to third after a protest lodged by Luximon was upheld following interference halfway down the home straight.
That’s Justified ($15), who has won a host of big races in the NT since debuting for the Terry and Leanne Gillett stable in 2017, won his first race since saluting in Alice Springs last April when he lumped 62.5kg to victory in open class over 1400m after jumping from gate 11.
With Tsaikos in the saddle, That’s Justified, an eight-year-old gelding these days, made it 21 wins from 67 starts when he hit the front at the turn and led by two lengths at the 200m before holding off Petrick’s Boom Boom Sweet (Denton) and Irwin’s Mug’s Game (Sonja Wiseman).
Alice Springs R6 replay – That’s Justified (1st)
Gillett and Tsaikos would combine later in the day to win the Pioneer Sprint (1200m) with Supreme Attraction.
Home-town trainer Kevin Lamprecht made it three wins for the carnival when four-year-old gelding Ginger Creek (Luximon), a $21 hope jumping from gate 10, swooped late to win over 1200m (0-62) to make it three wins from seven starts in the NT since a debut win last October.
There were plenty of chances turning for home with last-start winner Frilly Design, Glacier Grey and Noble War in the mix before Ginger Creek caught Greg Connor’s unlucky Trystoff (Dan Morgan), who was flattened at the 200m, with Viney’s Rock Of Kryptonite (Philpot) third.
That made it a winning double for Luximon, who finished second with six wins behind fellow apprentice Jade Hampson (8) as the carnival’s leading rider after missing Friday’s meeting through suspension.
Denton, one other jockey returning from suspension after sitting it out on Friday, kicked off the meeting when he guided Petrick’s gelding Perisseuo ($3.20) to his first-ever win at the 12th attempt over 1200m (BM68) in a field of only five three-year-olds.
Perisseuo pipped Patrick Johnston’s Gotta Beat (Hampson) by a nose after the pair overtook Russell Bell’s $1.55 favourite Garrucha (Morgan), who held a big lead at the 350m mark turning for home.
Local trainer James Carroll ended a long drought extending back to March last year when seven-year-old gelding $4.20 chance Excuses Excuses (Todd) achieved the rare feat of winning first-up at Pioneer Park over 1000m (0-58).
A winner for Murray Bridge trainer Irwin two starts ago at Kangaroo Island over 1215m (BM62), Excuses Excuses left the fence before nailing Trevor Montgomerie’s $3.70 favourite Zoutons (Adam Nichols), who looked the winner at the 200m, right on the line with Johnston’s Toffee Nuts (Sairyn Fawke), another Alice Springs debutante, coming third.