Whittle goes back to back in Alice Springs’ Winter Series Final
Trainer Lisa Whittle and jockey Alice Lindsay are back in business in the Northern Territory.
The pair combined to win the $40,000 Red Centre Winter Series Final (1200m) with five-year-old gelding Lastar during the Alice Springs Turf Club’s Truckies Cup Day meeting at Pioneer Park on Friday.
For Whittle, it was back to back wins in the Winter Series Final (0-66), the biggest race in Alice Springs outside Carnival, after Liberty Blue saluted in the inaugural off-season event last year.
It’s no secret that Whittle has won plenty of Alice Springs premierships and feature races since arriving in Central Australia some 25 years ago.
Whittle, who picked up a $25,600 purse following Lastar’s win, was the Red Centre’s champion trainer for the 2021/22 season.
After relocating back to SA in February, Whittle returned to the Alice in July and clearly she hasn’t lost her touch by securing the second biggest race of the 2023/24 season in the NT following the $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) held on the first Monday in August.
Lindsay arrived in Darwin from SA in July 2020 and had success in the Top End and Red Centre before a shocking fall during the 2021 Darwin Carnival saw her return to SA to recover from back, hand and nose injuries.
Returning to the saddle in February last year, Lindsay remained in SA before returning to the NT in May after agreeing to ride for champion Darwin trainer Gary Clarke.
With eight NT wins, Lindsay has returned to her best and her confidence would be sky high after a fabulous winning ride on Ella Clarke’s Ironedge over 2050m on Darwin Cup Day.
Lindsay’s first win back at Alice Springs on July 16 was aboard Miss Miduki for Whittle, which officially marked the trainer’s first day back at Pioneer Park.
Lastar was formerly trained by Nicole Irwin from SA, who brought the son of Zoustar to the NT for the 2023 Alice Springs and Darwin Carnivals.
One win from four starts in Alice in April was followed by two disappointing efforts in Darwin in June and July before Lastar was transferred from Irwin, who won the 2021 Darwin Cup with Highly Decorated, to Whittle.
In his first start back at Pioneer Park, Lastar was a narrow second by 0.1 lengths over 1400m (Class 2) on July 30 before winning a Winter Series heat over 1200m (BM54) by three lengths on August 12.
Lindsay rode the horse on each occasion before the pair combined to get the cash on Friday by 4.5 lengths – the Darwin jockey once again excelling with a super ride.
Lastar ($2.90) settled in sixth place, but was on the move at the 800m before catching Brat – the winner of three heats for trainer Terry Gillett, who had shared the early lead with Qualis, by the 400m.
Once straightening for home, Lastar accelerated and it was all over at the 200m with Ray Viney’s $2.60 favourite Kickatorp (Jessie Philpot), victorious in one of the nine heats, grabbing second ahead of Brat (Dakota Gillett).
The Gillett stable picked up an extra $2000 in prizemoney as Brat accumulated the most points during the series.
It was a big day for the female jockeys on Friday as they saluted in all five races.
Visiting SA apprentice Jade Doyle piloted the Carrol Hunter-trained seven-year-old mare Desert Lass ($6.50) to victory in the $25,000 Cummins Cup (1400m) ahead of Neil Dyer’s Munster and Will Savage’s Broad Outlook.
The ever-reliable Desert Lass was second behind Write Your Name in the Alice Springs Cup (2000m) in April and managed a second and first at Pioneer Park before heading to Fannie Bay where she finished sixth in the Metric Mile (1600m) and Darwin Cup (2050m).
Victorian apprentice Hannah Le Blanc made her Alice Springs debut before piloting Super Famous ($1.80 fav) to victory over 1200m (0-64) for SA trainer John Peacock.
Super Famous, a five-year-old gelding, had won his previous two starts during the Darwin Carnival and proved too good beating Greg Connor’s Radio Room and Zelring across the line.
After winning on his Alice debut in June, Viney’s five-year-old gelding Square Cut finished second in his next three starts before sealing victory on Friday over 1200m (Class 2) for Jessie Philpot.
Square Cut ($2.40 fav) got to the lead at the 800m and was in good shape passing the 400m before holding what seemed to be a winning lead passing the 200m, but it got tight at the finish when Connor’s Flying Yishu and Bold Tropic rallied to fill the minor placings.
Dakota Gillett, who is bound for a stint in NSW with Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker, continued her good form by securing her second win from three starts on Dan Morgan’s six-year-old gelding Boy Big ($2.25 fav) over 1100m (0-58).
The 17-year-old apprentice was happy to settle at the back after drawing a wide gate before setting sail after runaway leader Drawn To Win at the 600m and by the 200m the issue was never in doubt with Boy Big prevailing comfortably from fast-finishing pair Lisa, from the Kevin Lamprecht yard, and Perkova, representing the Paul Gardner camp.