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Andrew O’Toole’s SATURDAY best at Alice Springs (20/12)
Andrew O’Toole • December 20th, 2025 2:00 pm
A tremendous seven-race card will be the order of the day in the Red Centre, with some 56 acceptors for the fixture, the last of the year at Ladbrokes Pioneer Park. The next meeting will be held on 10 January, so with a three-week hiatus, the locals have thrown as much firepower at the meeting as possible - Kerry Petrick has 17 runners engaged, one more than at the last fixture a fortnight ago. On that occasion, she sent out three winners and it will be surprising if she does not equal or even better that haul this time.
The day’s features are the first and last on the card, both Benchmark 76 affairs, one over 1600m and the other the sprint trip of 1000m. Unlike the other five races on the programme, both are smallish fields, with just six in the mile and one more in the sprint.
In the first, the Vale Ted Egan Handicap over 1600m, topweight Altar Boy looks very hard to beat judged on his latest form and his record at the trip. He has two wins over 1600m, and no less than nine wins from 21 starts at the track, and while 1400m is his pet distance, he is adept at 1600m as well.
He has not raced for four weeks, his last effort a second place finish to the smart Our Couver over 1400m. He was meant to run at the last meeting a fortnight ago but that race failed to attract sufficient acceptors, but no doubt trainer Paul Gardner would have kept him up to the mark for this assignment.
Senior rider Paul “Dash” Denton takes the ride on the 6yo son of The Mission – he was aboard four starts back when he finished second to Big Boy over 1200m – and from a nice gate of three, he should be able to stalk the leaders and has an irresistible finish when he finds clear air. Although burdened with 59kg, he is only 4kg above the four horses on the minimum of 55kg, and with even luck in running, he can round out the year in style.
The Final Word, trained by Dick Leech, is also a 6yo but is lightly raced, having had just the 11 career starts. He has won four times, the most recent over this trip a fortnight ago when leading throughout in the hands of Danielle Hirini. Hirini is suspended for today’s meeting so Raymond Vigar has answered the SOS from Leech to travel to AS to ride the majority of his team. Vigar is a good judge of pace and should The Final Word lead again as seems likely, he will take plenty of catching. He has the inside gate to aid his chances and he promises to give Altar Boy a real challenge.
Venting seems to have been around forever, even though Petrick’s former NT Derby, AS, Katherine and Tennant Creek Cup winner is only seven. He has been a marvellous moneyspinner for his connections since coming to the Territory as a 3yo, and he has stakes approaching $400,000, a mark he will eclipse should he win today.
While perhaps not the horse he once was, he still retains plenty of enthusiasm for the racing game, as evidenced by his most recent win three starts ago over this journey on 5 October. His two runs since have been over 1400m and he has been below par in both, but he is such a warrior that he cannot be left out of calculations in this.
Magic Defense, the second of the Petrick duo in the event, was good last time out when third to stablemate Bahama Bay, beaten just 1.3 lengths over 1100m. She has had six previous attempts at 1600m and is yet to win, having been placed second once and third on two occasions. That said, the 5yo has always shown a good deal of ability, and her canny trainer would not be lining her up in this if she did not think she would be competitive.
Duty and Sweetwillhebe complete the line-up, and while it would be something of a surprise if either was to win, they have been fairly consistent lately and could get some of it.
The Hoskings Jewellers Handicap (1000m) completes the card of racing and has attracted a quality line-up, with three last-start winners among the seven-horse field. Petrick is again double-handed, with Bahama Bay and Great Gust her representatives, and I favour the former to be the hardest to beat.
Coming off a last-start win in 0-70 grade over 1100m on 5 December, Bahama Bay goes up in grade but down in trip, but also drops in weight from the 56.5kg he carried last time to 54.5kg with the application of Deborah Barton’s 3kg apprentice claim. Barton rode last time and Bahama Bay’s effort to win from barrier seven after sitting wide throughout was full of merit, although he will again need to be right on his game to repeat the dose.
Topweight Delago Lad returned to his very best form here on 22 November, leading throughout to score impressively over 1200m from Demiquaver and Big Boy. While this trip may be on the short side for him, the Pioneer Sprint placegetter is a quality performer and with Denton taking the mount this time, he promises to again run well, although the outside gate of seven will not make his task any easier.
Great Gust did a good job to take fourth when first-up from a decent break a month ago, and although yet to tackle this distance in his 21 career starts, he has a great record at this course overall. He has drawn the inside and Lek Maloney will take 2kgs off his book weight of 57.5kg. Look to him to be hitting the line strongly.
Expert Witness has been racing over 1200m lately, but this distance should be far more to his liking. The speedster has won five times (and been placed on five occasions) from 14 starts at the sprint trip, and if he can find the front for Sonja Logan, he could take some hauling in.
Boy Big and last-start winner Rock Of Kryptonite are consistent and a bold showing from either would not surprise, while the trip is on the short side for Qualis, who will have the services of Hannah Le Blanc.
The weather in Alice Springs this week has been fine and sunny, with temperatures in the high 30s. The official forecast for today reads: Mostly sunny morning. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then tending northerly during the afternoon. The temperature is forecast to reach 37 degrees, and it will be 23 degrees overnight. There is a 50% chance of 0-5mm of rain.
The first race on the bumper seven-race card gets underway at 11.12pm (NT time), which is 12.42pm on the eastern seaboard, while the last is timed to go at 2.44pm (NT time), or 4.14pm in New South Wales and Victoria.
BEST BETS
R2 # 8 STELLA BYSTARLIGHT
Absolutely bolted up here last time out when stepped up to 1400m on 6 December. That was her second win over the trip, and the way in which she dealt to her rivals by nearly ten lengths in class two company augurs well for her attempt at 1600m here, a distance she has contested just once previously. Seems to have strengthened and matured from three to four, and Jess Philpot will again be in the saddle. Can go back-to-back.
R4 # 3 PRINCESS PANCAKES
Resumed from a 13-week break with a solid effort for second to Rock Of Kryptonite a fortnight ago over 1100m, and this 1200m, although short of her best trip, should be to her liking second-up. Kerry Petrick has a strong contingent engaged, including four in this race, and Sonja Logan, who was aboard last time, retains the mount. Drawn out a little but good long run to the first turn from this barrier. Will be a leading contender.
R7 # 2 BAHAMA BAY
Tough win here on 6 December over 1100m, but this 1000m should suit. Up in grade but Deborah Barton’s 3kg claim reduces his weight to just 54.5kg. Drawn in the middle of the seven-horse field and looks set to go on with the good form he has shown in just his second preparation in the Territory. Another from the powerful Petrick yard and can complete a good day for the stable with success in the last.
LADBROKES PIONEER PARK – GOOD
RACE 1 – 1, 4, 2, 3
RACE 2 – 8, 6, 1, 3
RACE 3 – 2, 1, 7, 6
RACE 4 – 3, 4, 2, 1
RACE 5 – 2, 8, 4, 6
RACE 6 – 7, 1, 8, 2
RACE 7 – 2, 1, 3, 5
RACE 2 – 8, 6, 1, 3
RACE 3 – 2, 1, 7, 6
RACE 4 – 3, 4, 2, 1
RACE 5 – 2, 8, 4, 6
RACE 6 – 7, 1, 8, 2
RACE 7 – 2, 1, 3, 5
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