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Andrew O’Toole’s Saturday best at Alice Springs (11/04)
Andrew O’Toole • April 11th, 2026 2:00 pm
The opening meeting of the Ladbrokes Alice Springs Cup Carnival swings into action today, with an impressive seven-race card and no less than six races boasting each-way betting. The Carnival spans five days over a little more than three weeks, and it would pay to keep a close eye on today’s action with a view to the upcoming major days in the first weekend of May.
Some 59 horses have accepted for the fixture, with the two features the $30,000 The Cabinet Shop Handicap (1100m) for the open sprinters and the $27,500 LTL Cole Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Handicap (1600m) for the middle-distance performers. The latter is a Benchmark 76 event with eight runners down to do battle.
In the open 1100m, seven runners will look to thrust themselves into the talk surrounding the $110,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) to be run on Day 4 of the Carnival, 2 May. While it looks an even lot on paper, I am keen on O’Tycoon to improve on his first-up fourth and even further on a good second-up record.
Trained by Lisa Whittle, O’Tycoon, who contested last year’s Pioneer Sprint, had his first run back in the Alice this year when fourth of five behind Rewards And More over 1000m on 28 March. He was run off his legs that day but will be better suited with an extra 100m to go this time and with more fitness on his side. As the winner of ten of his 37 starts, six of them on this track, he makes plenty of appeal and when you consider his record at the trip – 10 starts for five wins and a second – he certainly should give his rivals plenty to worry about.
Paul Denton again takes the mount and from barrier one, the same gate he drew last time, O’Tycoon should be able to either lead or stalk the speed and promises to be strong over the concluding stages. As mentioned earlier, he also has good second-up statistics – five starts for a win and three seconds – and I’m banking on him to have come on sufficiently from his first-up run here a fortnight ago to be very hard to beat this time.
The horse that he chased home last time, Rewards and More, has done little wrong in his two AS starts to date and will be very competitive again. However, he has yet to win at this trip from three attempts although he has been twice successful over 1200m. Kerry Petrick, who sent out no less than five winners a week ago, will have her charge primed for another bold showing but he did weaken appreciably after going very fast early last time and he could be vulnerable late. That said, he will give his rivals something to chase and apprentice Lek Maloney retains the mount, even though this is a non-claiming race.
Flying Yishu, from the Greg Connor stable, was the runner-up to Dakota Lee in last year’s Pioneer Sprint and is no doubt on target for the same major assignment again. He has had two runs back this campaign, finishing fifth first-up behind Delago Lad and he then chased home Rewards And More last time they clashed on 28 March. He was very strong late and appears to be coming to hand nicely – even with the topweight of 59.5kg, he seems sure to run well again.
Stablemate Delago Lad, the 2025 Pioneer Sprint third placegetter, can mix his form a little but on his day is very smart. He beat home Rewards And More two starts back when carrying a light weight and then tailed the field home here on 21 March, which was disappointing to say the least. However, that run aside, he must be considered in this line-up, and has won six times at this trip and 14 times overall.
They look the main four hopes but the other three contenders, fresh runner Rock Of Krytonite and the Kym Healy-trained stablemates Equal Balance and former Pioneer Sprint winner Mathematics, should not be left out of your multiples. All are more than capable on their day and if there are any chinks in the armour of the top four hopes, then they may be able to cause an upset.
The Benchmark 76 1600m, the last on the card, should also be a good pointer to the AS Cup on 4 May. Topweight Active Duty, having his second start on the track for trainer Dick Leech, looks a realistic Cup chance and if that is the case, then he will take a power of beating here.
Jarrod Todd will have his first sit on the son of National Defense and his combination over the years with Leech, while not substantial, has been fruitful. Todd is riding the majority of the Leech-trained runners today but it is a sure bet he will be most interested in the performance of Active Duty, who won the Colac Cup two starts back for Lindsay Smith. He is relatively lightly-raced but has a record not dissimilar to Leech’s Cup winner from 12 months ago, Hasseltoff, and his first-up second to Magic Defense on 28 March gave every indication that better things were in store.
Our Couver, who has yet to finish out of the first three in four starts in the Red Centre, will be far more at home over this trip than he was when resuming from a spell over 1200m behind Rewards And More and Flying Yishu on 28 March. He won over 1400m here and was placed second over this distance back in November last year and the son of Vancouver will be right in the finish.
Stablemate Matron Samsing has not raced since winning the St Patrick’s Day Cup here on 15 March, and Petrick’s 4yo is a progressive type with a good record at this trip. She will be handled by Danielle Hirini today, due to recent regular rider Deborah Barton being stood down after a trackwork fall during the week. She should again give a good account of herself, as should old stager Venting.
The weather in Alice Springs this week has been beautifully fine and looks set to continue. The official forecast for today reads: Sunny. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the evening. The temperature is forecast to reach just 26 degrees, and it will be a fresh 15 degrees overnight. There is a 0% chance of any rain.
The first race on the eight-race card gets underway at 1.13pm (NT time), which is 1.43pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 4.51pm (NT time), or 5.21pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R2 # 5 LUCKY FORTUNAKym Healy-trained mare who will be improved by her first-up run in the Alice a week ago when finishing a good third to Bahama Bay and Mougenot. That was her first look at Pioneer Park and her first run for a month. Steps up to 1400m here and has won twice and been placed from eight attempts at the trip. Former Darwin Rosebowl winner who from a handy draw, should give this a real shake.
R5 # 2 DAD BODCreated a good impression when bolting in here last week in maiden grade over 1000m. Led and ran away to win by 5.5 lengths from Dynasty Reward and Bender McGee. Tackles the same trip again but obviously up in grade, but such was the manner of his win a week ago he looks primed to go back-to-back, especially with the inside draw in his favour. This is harder but can go on with it.
R7 # 1 ACTIVE DUTYColac Cup winner two starts back before a fine second to Magic Defense over 1400m at his first run in the Alice. Getting up in trip to 1600m should be far more to his liking – he has won twice and been placed from five runs at the mile. Leading Top End rider Jarrod Todd travels to the Red Centre to team up with the Dick Leech-trained 5yo and he can continue to build towards his main target, the Alice Springs Cup, with a victory here.
SELECTIONS
RACE 1 – 9, 4, 1, 2RACE 2 – 5, 2, 1, 3RACE 3 – 2, 3, 5, 7RACE 4 – 2, 3, 1, 4RACE 5 – 2, 3, 4, 1RACE 6 – 3, 2, 1, 6RACE 7 – 1, 3, 6, 4
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