Tennant Creek racing preview, best bets & odds | Saturday 13/5/23
| What | Tennant Creek Cup Day |
| Where | Hagan Park Racecourse, McDonald Road, Tennant Creek, NT, 0860 |
| When | Saturday, May 13, 2023 |
| First Race | 1:01pm ACST |
Following the Alice Springs Cup Carnival, the Tennant Creek Racing Club will host its annual Cup Day meeting at Hagan Park this weekend. Renowned as the Two Cup Race Day – the feature races are the $30,000 Tennant Creek Cup (1600m) – an open handicap for the middle distance runners – and the $21,500 Denis Staunton Memorial Cup (1200m) for the sprinters at 0-70 level.
A total of 39 acceptors have been received for the once a year meeting, which will accommodate six races and $130,500 in stakes. Kym Healy’s Taipan Tommy and Greg Connor’s Trystoff were the early favourites for the 1600m Cup and 1200m Cup, respectively. Sunny conditions and an expected top temperature of 27C is the forecast with 25-35km/h winds from the south-east.
It hasn’t rained in Tennant Creek since April 16 (4.8mm), so it will be a good sand surface with the rail in the true position. One of the unique factors about Hagan Park is that it boasts the longest home straight in the NT at over 400m.
Best Bet at Tennant Creek: Taipan Tommy
Taipan Tommy absolutely starred during the recent Alice Springs Cup Carnival with three wins from four starts – he finished second in his other appearance. The seven-year-old gelding by Dark Valley is stepping up to open company for the first time and is having just his fourth start over 1600m, but his form in the Red Centre was first class. Taipan Tommy, who has had six wins and five minor placings from 30 starts, was a last start winner over 1215m (BM56) at Kangaroo Island in January last year before a narrow debut win over 1100m (0-66) at Alice Springs on April 8. That was followed by a second behind Envenomate over 1200m (0-66) on April 17 before back to back wins over 1400m (0-58) by 8.3 lengths on April 22 and over 1600m (0-62) on April 30. Drops 4kg for his Tennant Creek assignment.
Best Bet
Race 6 – 
#3 Taipan Tommy (2)
7yo Gelding | T: Kym Healy | J: Ianish Luximon (55.5kg)
Next Best at Tennant Creek: Paulo Pace
Paulo Pace makes his 50th career start on Saturday and is capable of making it nine wins if his form during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival stands up. Kym Healy’s magic touch in the NT continued when the son of Epaulette was a first up second behind Kerioth over 1400m (BM76) on April 17. There were excuses in his next start on April 22 over 1600m (0-66) when he finished sixth behind Magnolia Rose after travelling wide throughout after jumping from gate 10. Stepped up to 2000m on Cup Day on April 30 and finished a length away in second place behind Eureka’s Victory, one of the best horses to grace Pioneer Park during the Carnival. Carries an extra 4.5kg and drops back to 1450m, but Paulo Pace has variety in his game having won from 1200-1750m in the past.
Next Best
Race 4 – #1 Paulo Pace (2)
7yo Gelding | T: Kym Healy | J: Jade Hampson (a2) (60.5kg)
Next Best Again at Tennant Creek: Gotta Beat
Gotta Beat has had four NT starts for three seconds and a fifth, and debuts at Tennant Creek after producing decent form during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival. Arriving from the Pakenham stable of Shane Stockdale, Gotta Beat was a first up second behind Beau Flyer against maiden performers and three-year-olds over 1200m (Class 2) at Darwin on March 24. The three-year-old filly then headed to Pioneer Park and was a first up fifth in her own age group behind Ankle Rolex over 1400m (BM68) on April 1. Sir Prancealot’s daughter continued to race against the three-year-olds in Alice for a second behind Garrucha over 1100m (BM66) on April 22 and a narrow second behind Perisseuo over 1200m (BM68) on Cup Day. Gotta Beat’s only win in nine starts was in a 1430m maiden at Traralgon last November.
Next Best Again
Race 2 – 
#2 Gotta Beat (5)
3yo Filly | T: Patrick Johnston | J: Jade Hampson (a2) (58.5kg)
Saturday quaddie tips for Tennant Creek races
Tennant Creek quadrella selections
Saturday, May 13, 2023
- 2-5
- 1-3
- 2-3-4
- 1-3-4
Investment: $36 for 100%