Lines looking to round out Alice Springs Cup Carnival in style

[Wandering Eyes]

Darwin apprentice Emma Lines, who is having an exceptional Alice Springs Cup Carnival at Pioneer Park, is all smiles after celebrating a recent win at Fannie Bay. Picture: Caroline Camilleri (Darwin Photography Professionals)

Darwin apprentice Emma Lines continues to make a huge impression in the NT and she could end the Alice Springs Cup Carnival in grand style.

After three days of the Carnival, the 17-year-old is the leading jockey with five wins and rides Kym Healy’s in-form Noble Magnate in the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m) on Saturday.

“It’s been amazing Carnival, I’ve been lucky enough to get on Kym’s horses, who have been going well securing a few wins,” Lines said.

“It has been more than I could imagine with the amount of success we have been getting.

“I rode here on Sprint and Cup Day last year, but this year I’ve been down here for the entire Carnival.”

Lines, who started her apprenticeship with Top End trainer Phil Cole in December 2022, boasts 60 wins and 92 minor placings from 324 career rides.

She recently rode her 50th provincial winner and is the leading NT apprentice and female rider with 29 wins.

The teenager finished third in the Top End and Country Premiership last season, but this season she sits second behind Jarrod Todd (31) with 20 wins.

During last year’s Darwin Cup Carnival, Lines booted the Cole’s Tubthumper to victory in the Darwin Guineas (1600m), but she will trump that success should Noble Magnate salute on Saturday.

Strathalbyn-based Healy brought the four-year-old gelding to Alice Springs with the Pioneer Sprint in mind and he was a first up winner over 1100m (0-64) on March 27 before backing up three days later to win at weight-for-age over 1200m by 2.8 lengths.

The son of Magnus drops 4kg for the Pioneer Sprint and jumps from gate five.

“Noble Magnate is flying, he’s been going really well, especially against open class last Saturday,” Lines said.

“He definitely stepped up against those better horses, so far he has proven himself good enough to make the Pioneer Sprint.

“I think he’s a good chance, but there’s a lot of good horses that I’m going up against.”

Healy and Cole are good friends, so it’s no surprise that Lines has ridden for the SA trainer; the pair were the leading trainer and jockey at Birdsville last year.

Healy has seven wins for the Alice Springs Cup Carnival, followed by local trainer Dan Morgan (3), while Lines holds a two-win advantage over fellow Top End jockey Sonja Logan.

Meanwhile, Healy’s eight-year-old gelding Taipan Tommy made the 12-horse field for the $110,000 Alice Springs Cup (2000m) on Sunday, and Lines will ride the son of Dark Valley.

“It will be interesting to see if he gets the trip, he’s a very easy-going horse,” Lines said.

“He gives his all every time, so I have no doubt he’ll run a good race.”

Taipan Tommy, who featured during last year’s Alice Springs Cup Carnival, boasts an outstanding Pioneer Park record (8:5-2-1) from 1100-1600m.

During March, he was victorious over 1400m at 0-70 and BM76 level before finishing third in the Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) at weight-for-age last Saturday – he drops 5kg for the Cup.

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