While the Turnbull Stks is essentially the race which contains most Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup winners in recent years, the winner is not amongst them.
The 2000m hit out is perfect because of the timing, the track & the distance. Its honour roll highlights that in some ways it has become the Craiglee Mark II.
• 2006 – SPHENOPHYTA 6g (Groom Dancer x Ballermoss) ($5.50)
Jockey: Danny Nikolic, Trainer: Lee Freedman
Barrier: 2, Weight: 56.5kg
Gross Time: 2:01.90, 600m Sectional: 34.02
Margin: 0.3L, Track: Good, Starters: 15
2nd: Our Smoking Joe (57.5kg), 3rd d/h: Serenade Rose (55.0kg)/Aqua D'Amore (54.0kg)
Timeform Rating: 117
Sphenophyta led a Lee Freedman trifecta Photo by Racing and Sports On a touching note the connections of Mummify lost their grand warhorse the day after such a brave and heroic challenge in the 2005 Caulfield Cup behind Railings. Maybe it was to honour him but they bought a handy tried stayer from New Zealand following some nice Queensland Winter staying runs. In four runs over the Spring he went a small way to pay respect to 'Mummy'. Good Craiglee and Underwood efforts were nice but being so far down the Order of Entry meant he was little prospect of making the Cup field. A win in an exempt race was required and the Turnbull Stks fitted the bill. Danny Nikolic was also tied to the Mummify crew and it was rather appropriate that he should be aboard. Stormhill set the rhythm but Lee Freedman's arsenal was close enough to strike. Nikolic made a decisive move at the 900 – maybe with the recent history in mind that winners have been leading with two furlongs to go. They all ran home in similar sectionals as Freedman jagged not just the first running of the race at G1 level but also the trifecta. If horses could talk, Mummify would have expressed his pride.
Devil Moon angled up the middle of Flemington Photo by Bronwen Healy For some reason, whether it was the dead track, the newness of the circuit or the rail out 9m but Flemington was not having one of its better days. If you had any chance of winning the circular races you basically needed to veer wide and come up the old crown of the track which went with the redevelopment. Knowing these facts, Devil Moon was a reasonable chance to be in the finish. A very good Let's Elope win was backed up a week later by an obscenely good Stocks Stks Valley run so the three weeks to the Turnbull must have agreed with her. Corey Brown replaced Michael Rodd and the mare raced outside the leader giving her first crack at the place to be in the straight. He angled her to the middle of Flemington and while not winning by far, never looked in danger of losing. Scenic Shot from Perth ran home nicely at big odds while many of the fancies went disgracefully. Haradasun and Douro Valley were OK but the whole race was a quandary for form students. But yet again the race did its usual trick providing the Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate winners amongst the vanquished.
• 2008 – LITTORIO 4g (Bellotto x Our Centasea) ($9)
Littorio saw a surprise win with Weekend Hussler beaten Photo by Racing and Sports As a 3yo Littorio was considered a certain Derby winner somewhere. He got Kibbutz'd at Flemington but more obviously was placed in the two Sydney 3yo G1s where a win was more likely. Was he a pack chaser? Well his Makybe Diva and Underwood runs were indicative of a horse heading in the right direction. In the race, Extend set the speed with Alexander of Hales outside and Guillotine pulling his head off. As the pace slowed, Weekend Hussler had the chance to find a place but Rawiller decided not to go further back and as that happened Beadman on Tuesday Joy kicked up and held him three wide. Sadly she bleed in the race. They got going at the 600 and Maldivian took over on the turn. But the swoopers had them cold as Littorio charged at the furlong to easily hold the placegetters. Efficient ran home well while Weekend Hussler surely proved he wasn't a 2000m, hitting the wall at the 200m mark. The eventual Cox Plate winner was well back here also.
• 2009 – EFFICIENT 6g (Zabeel x Refused To Dance) ($26)
Efficient was in love with Flemington Photo by Racing and Sports The 2007 Melbourne Cup winner had only had six starts since that race. Injuries and long range, slow preparations by his owners kept him to light work. This was his longest campaign since and he benefited although not many punters knew he was in fine fettle. In the run Viewed, El Segundo and Zipping were snagged back while Vigor was considered a contender but had the fence for company early on causing him his own dramas. Maldivian ran them along at good pace. Into the straight and Predatory Pricer hit the front eventually grabbing the leaders before failing to hold off the Cup winner down the middle of the track. Scenic Shot worked home well as did Viewed in signs of things to come. Up to this time, Efficient hasn't started again but expect another light prep for him although he will have to qualify for this year's Cup.
• 2010 – ZIPPING 9g (Danehill x Social Scene) ($17)
Jockey: Nicholas Hall, Trainer: Robert Hickmott
Barrier: 6, Weight: 59.0kg
Gross Time: 2:03.23, 600m Sectional: 35.64
Margin: 0.2L, Track: Dead, Starters: 16
2nd: Shocking (59.0kg), 3rd: Shoot Out (58.0kg)
Timeform Rating: 126
Zipping stuck his head out when needed Photo by Racing and Sports Lloyd Williams loves winning G1s at Flemington and gets his trainers to set the best for these contests. However not many times would a 9yo have done the deed but there was a soft spot for the Danehill gelding. Having deservedly taken an Australian Cup, this time in he was aimed at the Turnbull second up. These early hit and runs were used with Efficient a year earlier. With the AFL Grand Final now on a replay, the race was delayed by a day and the big field got rolling early when the gates opened. Zavite took it up while Descarado was wide and working to be outside him. Nick Hall had Zipping midfield and was even under the whip 500m out. At the busy end of the race there were four across the track with Shocking and Shoot Out striving hard but the tough old boy stuck his head out. He'd just keep rolling as he often did in the Spring placing in the Cox Plate AGAIN, running fourth in the Melbourne AGAIN and winning the Sandown Classic AGAIN.
RACE PROFILE
o The Turnbull's been won by some of the great WFA stars of the turf in the past – how about this for a trot after '87: Vo Rogue, Super Impose, Better Loosen Up, Let's Elope & Naturalism.
o 1, 16, 2, 16, 2, 8, 4, 8, 6 – barriers of the last nine winners show you can go forward or back to win. Inside, outside, inside, outside etc etc.
o Studebaker ('03), Fairway ('00) & All Our Mob ('95) only Sydney trained winners in 20 years.
o Don't give away too much ground. Most have raced right on the pace bar Efficient.
o Mares have gone OK with Devil Moon ('07), Makybe Diva ('05), Sunline ('01), Let's Elope ('91) winning in the last 20 years.
o Last 10 Winners Most Prevalent Age of winner – 4yo/6yo (4 times)
o Last 10 Years Winningest Barrier Range <1-4> - 4 times
o Last 10 Winners Average Price of winner – $9.70
o Breakdown of winners – 6 geldings, 1 entire & 3 mares
o Last 10 Years Memsie Stks / Turnbull double – Makybe Diva ('05), Sunline ('01)
o Last 10 Years Makybe Diva (Craiglee) Stks / Turnbull double – Northerly ('02)
o Last 10 Years Let's Elope Stks / Turnbull double – Devil Moon ('07)
o Last 10 Years Stocks Stks / Turnbull double – Devil Moon ('07)
o Last 10 Years Underwood / Turnbull double – Elvstroem ('04), Northerly ('02)
o Last 10 Years Ipswich Cup / Turnbull double – Sphenophyta ('06)
o Last 10 Years Australian Cup / Turnbull double – Zipping ('10), Makybe Diva ('05)
SUMMARY & SELECTIONS
First thing to consider for this year's Turnbull is the track. It is surely going to be in the dead range or worse given the weather.
December Draw looks a perfect Flemington horse Photo by Racing and Sports
But also the rail position. Most recent Turnbull programs have had the rail out some margin but it's true this year.
They have chopped and changed in terms of leaders this WFA season but expect Glass Harmonium, Playing God, December Draw and Southern Speed to be up there.
While it is a step up to WFA and G1, there isn't much between all these horses and given his attacking of the line recently and the form at Flemington, happy to stay with December Draw.
He goes dead straight like an arrow here and the stable have won this previously so with the weights as they are, no reason he can't add to those who've won this down in the weights under the SW&P scale.
As usual Bart sets his horses primarily for the Spring, in general, and Flemington in particular. For that reason Precedence will charge here third up.
He adores the open spaces of the track, goes into this without any pressure and should get a nice run in behind them.
Emanating from an extraordinary form race is Absolutely. The Oaks winner was sixth in the Stocks Stks but there have been subsequent winners and placegetters galore from that event.
Now getting to her distance range, she is capable of getting to the outside and doing what other nice mares have done before in an even year.
R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd (Mgr: R P Legh), G G Syndicate Ltd (Mgr: G G Peterson), N Griffin, M Pejic, J O'Neill, R Scheriani, R Smith, B Mathieson, J Kennedy & Raise Your Glass Syndicate
