Journalists Wandering Eyes Posted 10 hours ago Journalists Share Posted 10 hours ago Alice Springs trainer Terry Gillett, pictured with daughter Dakota, is enjoying another fine season. Terry Gillett is on track to defend his title in the Alice Springs trainers’ premiership, and he will have several chances to extend his lead on Saturday at Pioneer Park. Veteran sprinters Supreme Attraction and That’s Justified will line up in the feature race, an open handicap over 1200m where the Lisa Whittle-trained O’Tycoon is aiming to make it five wins from his last six starts. Handy duo Great Buy and Kangaroo Court are arguably the two best horses in the Benchmark 76 over 1400m and should fight out the finish. Faithful Champion and Supreme Goal are also among the fancied runners in the Benchmark 54 over 1200m, which will kick off the six-event program. With some 24 horses at his disposal, Gillett has been a model of consistency this season to lead the way with 25 wins. Whittle sits second with 15 wins, while Paul Gardner (13), Greg Connor (12) and Kerry Petrick (11) have all had respectable seasons, which clearly illustrates Gillett’s dominance. At the end of February last year, Gillett had 10 victories and was sitting in fifth place before ending the 2023/24 season with 25 wins to seal the trainers’ title from Gardner, who finished with 23. With the 2025 Alice Springs Cup Carnival starting on March 16, Gillett is naturally eyeing the feature races. Nine-year-old Supreme Attraction, who hadn’t raced since finishing fourth in the Pioneer Sprint last year, returned to action on February 15 with a respectable fourth behind O’Tycoon in open company over 1100m. That’s Justified, an absolute marvel for the Gillett yard since 2017, returns after a last-start second in June over 1400m at BM76 level, and it will be his first start as a 10-year-old gelding. O’Tycoon, a major contender in this year’s Pioneer Sprint on April 5, Ray Viney’s Kickatorp and Greg Connor’s Flying Yishu will provide stiff opposition for Gillett’s ageing stablemates. Dick Leech’s Early Crow — the 2023 and 2024 Palmerston Sprint winner in Darwin — and NT Guineas winner Better Not Fuss from the Gardner stable complete a highly competitive field on Saturday. Gillett’s daughter and apprentice Dakota, who is one off the pace in the jockeys’ premiership with 14 wins, is booked to ride Supreme Attraction, Kangaroo Court and Faithful Champion. Stan Tsaikos, a two-time champion jockey in the Red Centre, has 12 wins for the season and partners That’s Justified, Great Buy and Supreme Goal. Horse racing news View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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