42 NT NEWS. Thursday, May 9, 2013. www.ntnews.com.au

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Carnival ruled by Red

The Ruffian with Dom Tourneur, Sheila Arnold and Terry Lillis after winning the Alice Springs Cup Picture: JUSTIN BRIERTY

IN the end it should not havecome as any real surprise.

Sheila Arnold and DomTourneur already had 11Alice Springs Cups betweenthem before Monday — afigure they improved uponwhen The Ruffian turned theRed Centre’s richest race intoa one-act affair.

The Ruffian, who had wonthe Darwin Guineas-NTDerby double as a three-year-old, put his very best footforward in one of the mostdominant big race victoriesyou will ever seen.

Sure, there have beenhorses win the race bygreater margins, but youknew a hell of a long way fromhome that the MauritianMagician had a sixth Cup ineight years in his keeping.

Tourneur rides PioneerPark like the track is in hisown backyard, not a venue hevisits once a year.

The Ruffian joins hisprevious Cup triumphs onGranzig (2012), Naratel (2011),Tradesman’s Choice (2008),Catechism (2007) andZylvester (2006).

It is a record that will takesome beating, especially ifTourneur returns next yearin search for No. 7.

Sheila Arnold already hasher seventh in the bag andyou could tell Monday’s winmeant plenty to the legendaryAlice Springs horsewoman.

Despite being now based inGeelong, Arnold remains aRed Centre favourite, 38 yearsafter winning the Cup for thefirst time with Mallee Magicin 1975.

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FOR all the good racing AliceSprings Cup Day delivered,I’m still trying to get myhead around the brilliantperformance by Periduki towin his second Pioneer Sprint(1200m) last Saturday.

To do what he did under61.5kg — spotting his rivalsfrom 6.5 to 7.5kg — by comingfrom a seemingly hopelessposition on the turn was truly

remarkable. It reminded meof the effort produced by JadeCity in the 2008 PalmerstonSprint when he unleasheda blistering finish to,ironically, run down Peridukiin the last stride.

Popular Red Centre race-caller Shane Green summedup the emotions when he said‘‘That is the greatest win I’veever seen at Pioneer Park’’and added ‘‘Ladies and gentle-

men, we have just witnesseda miracle.’’

Periduki might be preparedby South Australian trainerMick Whittle, but he remainsa quintessential Alice Springsfavourite. To add anotherPioneer win to his history-making success as a three-year-old just puts cream onthe cake of his legacy.

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TAKING a look at the Alice

Springs Cup Carnivalstandings and Lisa Lefoefinished as the leadingtrainer with six winners.

Lefoe, who has won the pastfour Red Centre premier-ships, unveiled some smarthorses during the past fourweeks, but none more so thanspeedy filly Perfect Pause.

The two-year-old filly is byDomesday out of the mareWhatyouwaitingfor, who won

races in Darwin and AdelaideRiver during her owncareer, before going to thebreeding barn.

Of the 39 races run duringthe 2013 carnival, 21 were wonby Centralian trainers.

Interstate trainers supplied10 winners, with Mt Isatrainer Jay Morris, MickWhittle and John O’Loughlin(SA) each finishing withthree. The trek down from

Darwin paid off for DickLeech and Kerry Petrick,who each prepared threewinners, and Gary Clarkewon two races.

The riding honours wereshared between 16 hoops withPaul Denton, Kim Gladwinand Kacie Connor each ridingfive winners, while JacqueBrown was not far awayon four.

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DUAL Darwin Cup championHawks Bay produced anencouraging first-up fourth atFlemington on Saturday.

In his first appearancesince winning the Territory’smost famous race last August,Hawks Bay finished two and ahalf lengths from StrawberryBoy in the Secondbite FreshFood Open Handicap (1400m).

Trainer Neil Dyer was raptby the performance.

‘‘It was a good run, I wasvery happy,’’ Dyer said.

‘‘Steven Arnold said hecouldn’t have gone any better.

‘‘No matter what you puthim in he is pretty honest andI did think he was going to goas well as he did.’’

Dyer will look at another1400m at Flemington in afortnight and step Hawks Bayup in ground before makinga firm decision about chasinga third straight DarwinCup triumph.

‘‘If he is still in one pieceand we aren’t going goget weighted absolutelyridiculous, there is a chancewe could have another go,’’Dyer said.

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WITH the Alice Springs CupCarnival over for anotheryear, focus now shiftstowards the Top End and thebuild-up to the 2013 DarwinCup Carnival.

Racing returns to FannieBay on Saturday with a five-race program scheduled.

A total of 34 nominationshave been taken for themeeting, with Chris Pollard,David Jupp and David Batessupplying the bulk ofthe entries.

John Peacock is heading upfrom Alice Springs and nomi-nated three runners.

Acceptances are out today.n n n n

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