TURNBULL ATTRACTS FIELD OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY

By Taron Clarke | Friday, October 1, 2010

One cast of the eye over the final acceptors for the time honoured Group 1 Turnbull Stakes will have the punters mesmerised.

The Group 1 feature has been moved to a Sunday afternoon fixture to accommodate the AFL Grand Final replay played on Saturday. The final field of sixteen runners and four emergencies includes thirteen individual Group 1 winners and a total of twenty one Group 1's between them.

In what appears to be a defining race that looks certain to shape the feature events of the spring, Caulfield Cup favourite Moudre looks to have had his spring program decided for him by being declared second emergency for the Turnbull and is now in grave doubt of ensuring a place in the final eighteen for the Caulfield Cup.

Anthony Cummings’ talented stayer Zavite looks certain to be pacemaker for the $500,000 event. Also taking up a prominent position from the 2000 metre start will be Sydneysider Metal Bender, local horse Vigor and kiwi visitor Sterling Prince.

After a surprise change of tactics for the Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes, Peter Moody's topline mare Typhoon Tracy will be most likely ridden with a sit, on the back of the speed from barrier ten to prove to Victoria's premier trainer that a start in the Cox Plate is warranted.

Untried beyond the 1800 metres of last year’s Underwood Stakes, Moody has always identified the Moonee Valley feature as the five time Group 1 winners' spring target.

Melbourne Cup hero and early favourite Shocking will look to maintain his unbeaten run at Flemington which now stands at four wins after a devastating second up victory in the Makybe Diva Stakes over 1600 metres at the circuit.

Stable jockey Michael Rodd retains the mount on the Mark Kavanagh trained son of Street Cry and the pair will jump from barrier fourteen.

Gold Coast trainer John Wallace is confident that a return to the wide open pastures of Flemington and a more patient ride will suit his top notch gelding Shoot Out.

Highly criticised after his two recent rides on the son of High Chaparral, champion Brisbane hoop Stathi Katsidis will look to silence his knockers.

From barrier two, Katsidis should be able to provide Shoot Out with plenty of smother through the early and mid stages of the event and bring the Queensland Horse of the Year to the outside of runners to unleash his powerful finish.

Another suited to the larger track that Flemington has to offer will be the Bart Cummings' trained mare Dariana.

The mare firmed into second favourite for the Melbourne Cup on the back of a slashing second up placing behind stablemate and potential champion So You Think. Heavyweight rider Steven Arnold takes over the reins from Luke Nolen and will jump from the wide barrier of nineteen.

Cummings other highly talented mare Faint Perfume is also engaged in the Turnbull. Glen Boss who is yet to ride the daughter Shamardal under race conditions takes the ride and will jump from gate five.

Faint Perfume and Mike Moroney's top stayer Monaco Consul galloped between races at last Sundays Caulfield meeting with the kiwi having the upper hand.

Craig Williams who has ridden the entire in his two starts this campaign will stick with the son of High Chaparral in the Turnbull and the pair will start the event from the inside barrier.

It is a truly intriguing race and one that will provide plenty of form reference for the major spring events, so it may pay for punters to watch and learn rather than to indulge with any degree of confidence.

Selections:
1. Shoot Out
2. Vigor
3. Dariana

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