Duke De Sessa primed to run bold race in Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington

Declan Bates, who has forged a connections with frontrunning sensation Pride Of Jenni, will attempt another catch-me-if-you-can win in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes.

Jockey Declan Bates has Pride Of Jenni tactics in mind to help Duke De Sessa cause an upset in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on Saturday at Flemington.

Duke De Sessa has enjoyed being ridden on speed the past two runs, second in a 2000m Quality Handicap and fourth in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) last start.

Duke De Sessa, $18 with Ladbrokes for the Turnbull Stakes, led the Underwood field into the straight but could not quicken as sharply as winner Buckaroo and third-placed Pericles.

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Buckaroo is $4.40 second favourite in the Turnbull, while Huetor, who flashed late to run second in the Underwood, is a $26 outsider.

Pericles is likely to run in the Hill Stakes next week in Sydney.

Duke De Sessa will give his rivals something to catch in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes. Picture: Scott Barbour/Racing Photos via Getty Images

“Flemington 2000m should be more to his liking,” Bates said.

“He’s a horse that has got a high cruising speed and stays even further, obviously it’s going to be a tough contest, he’s peaking now and he’s in good form.

“He’s a horse that can lead and he can lead in a nice bowling manner, if he gets into a nice rhythm he’s going to run a big race.

“There’s no standout horse in it (Turnbull) that’s unbeatable as such, he might even improve off that last run, if that’s the case he goes there in good form.”

Bates the past 12 months has forged a career-changing connection with Group 1 superstar Pride Of Jenni – the best frontrunner in Australian racing since the great Vo Rogue.

While Duke De Sessa, a multiple stakes winner in Ireland, is nowhere near as sharp as Pride Of Jenni, the six-year-old has a big engine.

Duke De Sessa has raced consistently in 11 Australian starts for trainer Ciaron Maher, placed three times, without the ultimate success.

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Maher, going for a hat-trick of Turnbull wins, has always held the Irish import in high regard.

“When Ciaron has a good opinion of one he’s not really wrong,” Bates said.

“It could be a case of he’s taken that prep to settle into it and, if that’s the case, maybe this time in we start to see the best of him.”

Duke De Sessa ran sixth in the Turnbull Stakes last year behind Melbourne Cup winner and former stablemate Gold Trip.

Smokin’ Romans, also trained by Maher, led and could not be caught in 2022.

Assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said Duke De Sessa would be thereabouts on speed.

“His greatest attribute is on pace toughness, he can sustain a good gallop, he doesn’t really have a good change up speed but he does hold a gallop,” Turnbull said.

“His last run was fantastic we thought, because he is a mile and a half (2400m) horse, but if lands on speed and grinds it out, maybe they can’t catch him.”

Originally published as Duke De Sessa primed to run bold race in Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington