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Turnbull Stakes: We look at how all nine races at Flemington unfolded

The big guns came out to play on Turnbull Stakes Day, and plenty of contenders pressed their claims for spring riches. We take a look at every race and how it was won. WATCH THE CLOSING STAGES

Ben Broad
6 min read
October 5, 2019 - 6:22PM
Kings Will Dream ridden by Jye McNeil (green cap) edges Finche, ridden by Damian Lane (pink cap), to win the Turnbull Stakes. Picture: Michael Klein.
Kings Will Dream ridden by Jye McNeil (green cap) edges Finche, ridden by Damian Lane (pink cap), to win the Turnbull Stakes. Picture: Michael Klein.

The footy’s over and the Spring Carnival is off and running.

The Melbourne carnival launched on Saturday with Turnbull Stakes Day, a meeting in which a heap of Cups and Cox Plate hopefuls strutted their stuff.

Below, we look at Saturday’s nine-race card and tell you how the winner scored, as well as the ones to watch and how the favourites fared.

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Sunlight holds off Santa Ana Lane in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes. Both horses will now head to The Everest.
Sunlight holds off Santa Ana Lane in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes. Both horses will now head to The Everest.

FLEMINGTON — HOW EVERY RACE UNFOLDED

RACE 1 — MARIBYRNONG TRIAL STAKES (2yo listed)

1st — Mildred ($2.90)

Jockey — Jordan Childs; Trainer — Grahame Begg

2nd — Jerle (No second dividend)

3rd — Boom Daddy (No third dividend)

RACE SNAPSHOT: Mildred jumped out and went straight to the front. The Grahame Begg-trained filly headed to the rail and got into a good rhythm. The pace wasn’t quick, and when Jordan Childs let the two-year-old down she found plenty. Jerle tried hard and Boom Daddy finished off OK, but there was no catching the leader.

THE FAVOURITE? Early marker favourite Deep Speed was scratched at the gates, leaving Divine Caprice as favourite in the small field. But the Hayes-Dabernig fancy struggled to make any headway from the back.

RACE 2 — PARIS LANE STAKES (Listed)

1st — Rich Itch ($16.60, $3.90)

Jockey — Dwayne Dunn; Trainer — Shawn Mathrick

2nd — Romancer ($2.00)

3rd — Music Bay ($2.00)

RACE IN A SNAPSHOT: Good go for the lead in the early going, with Fastnet Tempest taking up the running and leading Magna Bella into the straight. The race changed complexion at the 200m mark, with Rich Itch hooking out and storming past the leaders once it saw daylight. Music Bay, under hard riding, rallied again late to finish strongly. Mr Money Bags was checked at the 200m but finished well, while Red Alto made ground from the back to catch the eye.

THE FAVOURITE? Magna Bella was up outside the leader coming into the straight and loomed ominously before they stormed past.

RACE 3 — POSEIDON STAKES (3yo listed)

1st — Taraayef ($8.50, $3.00)

Jockey — Jye McNeil; Trainer — David and Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig

2nd — Hawker Hurricane ($10.90)

3rd — WayUpInTheSky ($1.50)

RACE IN A SNAPSHOT: Taraayef jumped well and was always handy. Hawker Hurricane was also on the speed down the straight and looked like it might cause an almighty boilover in the final stages, but the Hayes-Dabernig runner held on. The favourite made late ground to claim third, while Brooklyn Hustle sprouted wings over the final 100. Excess Funds struggled to find room in the run to the post and might be one for the black book.

THE FAVOURITE? WayUpInTheSky had every chance but the leaders were too good. Might have got there in another 50m but no excuses for the $3.30 chance.

RACE 4 — BLAZER STAKES (Group 2)

1st — Haut Brion Her ($5.90, $2.20)

Jockey — Michael Walker; Trainer — Chris Waller

2nd — Pohutukawa ($2.50)

3rd — Angelic Ruler ($2.00)

RACE SNAPSHOT: Michael Walker was positive with Haut Brion Her, pushing up inside Savatiano to lead around the bend. Fidelia settled at the back. When they straightened at the 400, the leader kicked away by a couple of lengths as Savatiano struggled to go with them. Pohutukawa looked the most likely to reel the winner in but Walker made the most of a track seemingly helping the on-pacers. The well-backed Angelic Ruler finished off well out wide.

THE FAVOURITE? Fidelia ($3.90) drifted slightly in betting and unfortunately for favourite abckers, never gave them a winning sight. Was last coming around the turn and hooked wide to finish in a wall of horses just off the first four.

RACE 5 — SUPER IMPOSE STAKES (3yo listed)

1st — Warning ($16.90, $4.90)

Jockey — Martin Harley; Trainer — Anthony Freedman

2nd — Independent Road ($2.90)

3rd — Huntly Castle ($3.40)

RACE SNAPSHOT: Outsiders Sacramento and Reckoning took up the running with The Lifeline nicely-positioned on the rail in third. Runners fanned after straightening and Independent Road looked to be going strongly at the 200. But poking out behind the leader was W arning, the Anthony Freedman runner bursting through the gap to charge away. Huntly Castle finished well to grab third.

THE FAVOURITE? A wide-open betting affair with just three runners under double figures, but the Lindsey Smith-trained Adelaide Ace and Gai Waterhouse-trained The Lifeline were both around the $5 mark. Adelaide Ace struggled to go straight in the run to the line but did finish well, while The Lifeline plugged away along the rail but lacked the required turn of foot at the finish.

RACE 6 — GILGAI STAKES (Group 2)

1st — Sunlight ($2.10, $1.30)

Jockey — Luke Currie; Trainer — Tony & Calvin McEvoy

2nd — Santa Ana Lane ($1.50)

3rd — Zoutori ($2.40)

RACE SNAPSHOT: Predictably, Sunlight went to the lead where she was always going to be tough to run down. Vital Silver sat outside her and gave a good sight before tiring over the final stages. Santa Ana Lane stormed home to give Sunlight’s backers a few nervous strides over the closing stages but she’d pinched too much of a break. Zoutori ran a big race to almost match motors with the runner-up.

THE FAVOURITE? Sunlight looked a good thing given her record down the straight and a track seemingly showing leader bias. She did what she had to, and now it’s onto The Everest.

RACE 7 — TURNBULL STAKES (Group 1)

1st — Kings Will Dream ($11.00, $3.10)

Jockey — Jye McNeil; Trainer — Chris Waller

2nd — Finche ($1.90)

3rd — Hartnell ($2.40)

RACE SNAPSHOT: Trap For Fools went to his usual place in front and settled ahead of Hartnell. They bunched up at the turn and it was Hartnell who loomed, taking over at the 400m mark. But Kings Will Dream emerged and hit the lead with 200m remaining. Finche, who had fanned wide on the bend, showed he has plenty of miles in his legs by running on well while the old boy, Hartnell, was not disgraced. Vow and Declare finished nicely ahead of Mystic Journey.

THE FAVOURITE? Sorry tale for the two major fancies. Mr Quickie firmed into favouritism before the race ahead of Mystic Journey. Both settled well back and were always going to find it tough to run them down. Mystic Journey finished as well as anything but was never a realistic hope, while Mr Quickie backers were never given a sight as he finished second-last.

RACE 8 — THE BART CUMMINGS (Group 3)

1st — Surprise Baby ($2.60, $1.50)

Jockey — Jordan Childs; Trainer — Paul Preusker

2nd — Supernova ($2.20)

3rd — Wolfe ($2.40)

RACE SNAPSHOT: Wolfe jumped quickly to take up the running, leading from rough chances Alfarris, Muntahaa and Azuro. Muntahaa wasn’t happy with the speed and clicked up at the 700m mark, forcing some runners to make their move. Supernova looked for an inside run as they straightened, with Wolfe kicking on. Behind them, Jordan Childs didn’t panic on the favourite as Surprise Baby emerged from the chasing pack. By the 200m he had drawn level. It took another 100m to assert his authority but he won running away — and booked his ticket to the Melbourne Cup.

THE FAVOURITE? No surprises here, baby. The hot pot was well back in the run but worked into the race coming around the bend. Finished strongly to show it might take some beating on the first Tuesday in November.

RACE 9 — EDWARD MANIFOLD STAKES (Group 2)

1st — Moonlight Maid ($45.90, $10.40)

Jockey — Ben Melham; Trainer — Mitch Freedman

2nd — Fascino ($4.80)

3rd — Miami Bound ($1.60)

RACE SNAPSHOT: Excused was quick out of the barriers and hunted forward to take a clear lead. Deserved pressed forward to sit behind the lead but quickly faded when the whips were cracking. Most eyes were on Miami Bound who’d been tucked away on the inside but some jockeys opted to go wide — and they finished hard. Moonlight Maid stormed down the outside, coming from last to join leaders Fascino and Miami Bound at the 100m mark. The roughie finished too strongly, emerging as a genuine Oaks contender.

THE FAVOURITE? Miami Bound had every chance. Damien Oliver gave the fave a great sight just off the speed but didn’t possess the turn of foot as the swooper out wide.

Originally published as Turnbull Stakes: We look at how all nine races at Flemington unfolded

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/superracing/turnbull-stakes-we-look-at-how-all-nine-races-at-flemington-unfolded/news-story/0ae75bfed354822a3db745d1e1624e2b