Halter laments absence of Eastwood in Alice Springs

[Wandering Eyes]

Darwin jockey Vanessa Arnott returning to scale after getting the cash at Fannie Bay aboard Eastwood for Top End trainer Tayarn Halter. (Caroline Camilleri/Darwin Photography Professionals)

Eastwood, among the best NT sprinters in recent times, will be a noticeable absentee from the Alice Springs Cup Carnival this year.

The nine-year-old gelding, who had 29 starts for Darwin trainer Tayarn Halter after arriving from Victoria in mid-2019, retired after finishing fifth in his 50th start at Fannie Bay last September.

The son of Bel Espirit suffered an injury thus ending a remarkable three years where he managed nine wins, 10 seconds, two thirds and two fourths against Darwin and Alice Springs’ best.

Six of those wins were in the Top End, while the other three occurred in the Red Centre.

Unfortunately, Eastwood never won a Palmerston Sprint (1200m) or Pioneer Sprint (1200m) – the NT’s biggest races for the speedy types – but he came close with hefty weights also thwarting his hopes.

He appeared in both races each year from 2020-22, finishing seventh, seventh and second in the Pioneer before coming third (0.3 of a length), fourth and eighth in the Palmerston.

Eastwood travelled to WA for the Broome Sprint (1300m) for a fifth (2021) and an eighth (2022).

After two Adelaide starts in late 2016 for Morphettville trainer Jon O’Connor, Eastwood raced in Singapore (2017-18) for three wins from seven starts before joining Dan O’Sullivan’s Ballarat stable in early 2019.

His best effort in 10 Victorian starts was a second over 1400m (BM64) at Ballarat before posting a debut win in the Top End in late July during the 2019 Darwin Cup Carnival.

Eastwood backed up nine days later and saluted over 1200m (0-70) on Darwin Cup Day in early August.

“It will be different not having Eastwood in Alice this year,” Halter said.

“I miss the old boy, but he’s gone to a wonderful place in Victoria called CS Performance Horses for his re-training and re-homing.

“He’d been a good horse to us.

“In his last start his fetlock joint came up a bit – we had it scanned.

“The advice from the vet was that he could be spelled and have another prep, but as an ownership group we decided that he had done his job for us.

“We loved him, so we thought it might be time to let him go on and do other things.

“He didn’t win one of the Sprints, but he was still a very good all-round horse – he has been terrific.

“Without a doubt among the best horse’s I’ve had.

“I have been very lucky to have some good sprinters.

“I had Your Excellency, then Bakslap and then Eastwood.

“Eastwood was very versatile – he won from 1000-1200m.”

Halter has remained in Darwin for the Alice Springs Cup Carnival – starting Saturday week – with partner Lindsay Schmidt heading to the Red Centre with I Am The Fox (9G), Expert Witness (4G) and Noble War (5M).

“I’ve had success in Alice Springs over the years, but I’ve never won the Sprint or a Cup,” Halter said.

“I’ve won the Palmerston with The Universe (1994) and won plenty of the lead-up races – I’ve only had a couple of runners in the Darwin Cup.

“Expert Witness is a lovely horse, but not proven over 1200m – he’s a very speedy customer over 1000m and 1100m.

“The testing material for him is going to be whether he can race at that top level over 1200m.”

Expert Witness has won four races from seven starts for Halter and won three straight before spelling last November – the Pioneer Sprint is his target.

The $100,000 race takes place on April 30 – the same day as the Alice Springs Cup (2000m).

I Am The Fox, the 2021 Cup winner before finishing second last year, is back for another tilt at the $110,000 feature and was a last-start third over 1300m in Darwin on March 18.

“He’s coming along real nice, the old boy,” Halter said.

“He had a good break after the Darwin Cup last year, so we just brought him up slowly and just gave him a few runs for fitness.

“Obviously short of his best distance, but you’ve got to start somewhere and now we’ve got him up to his most settled distance in Alice over the mile on Saturday.”

Expert Witness is also set to start this weekend, but Noble War will be kept in cotton wool.

“We took Noble War down – not sure whether we go to a fillies and mares race with her or whether we just go through her grades as the class races suited her a bit better down there,” Halter said.

They’re also racing at Darwin on Friday, so it will be a busy two days for the Halter stable.

“Yeah, but fingers crossed we can have some success and we can get some winners,” the trainer said.

“Every day for us is fantastic and a blessing, we love it – we’re also lucky to have the support of really good owners.

“If we get a winner it’s a great day and if we have a good day with placings it’s a great day.”

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