Storm player Jake Turpin takes the reins on an incredible double

WOULD you rather own a promising horse, or knock around with Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk. Jake Turpin considers himself blessed because he gets to do both.

Running up a storm: Jake Turpin with his horse Mattgregor, who has won three out of his first four starts and is about to return to racing. Picture: Supplied

WOULD you rather own a promising horse, or knock around with Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk. Jake Turpin considers himself blessed because he gets to do both.

The 19-year-old is a promising utility player with the Storm and headed to Melbourne two days after finishing school at St Edmund’s College, Ipswich.

He also part-owns promising former New Zealand pacer Mattgregor, who is a about to return to racing after having won three of his first four career starts before being gelded.

“It’s been a very good start to his career and it’s pretty exciting to be part of it,’’ Turpin said.

“It’s great to have an interest outside football. I am always watching the horses and when I get to training a few of the boys will have watched our horses and we will talk about their runs.’’

Turpin, who started the season as Storm under-20 captain before breaking his thumb, was given five days off by the club last week and returned to Brisbane to see his pride and joy trial.

Turpin’s defensive prowess was first noted by his father Tony when, as an 11-year-old, he crash-tackled his dad in an aisle in Woolworths.

The twin interests of rugby league and harness racing mesh neatly in his life.

His sister Chantal, who prepares Mattgregor with her husband Pete McMullen, guides one of the state’s most prosperous stables.

Storm’s Jake Turpin has always had a strong interest in harness racing. Picture: Supplied

Chantal has trained 109 winners for the season and is second behind Grant Dixon in the state’s training premiership.

Jake drove mini-trotters as a boy but has no plans to get his senior driver’s licence, which will be a relief to the Storm given there are enough challenges with injury on a rugby league field without taking further risks in a sulky.

The Turpin family have a deep connection with the local industry, with father Tony working as the track foreman at Albion Park, where he has been going since he was a five-year-old entranced by the brilliance of greats such as Paleface Adios and Maoris Idol.

Jake, who has been recently playing with the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Intrust Super Cup, is yet to make his NRL first-grade debut but is highly rated by the Storm.

“The Storm has been a good club to be with and players like Smithy have been great,’’ he said. “To be able to speak with him after training, you learn so much.’’

“I have been brought up with harness racing all around me and it’s an interest I have always had.

“I like living in Melbourne but there are still a lot of things I miss about living in Brisbane.’’

HOGANS HEROES

Albion Park has been a hive of activity in recent weeks with one of its tenants, Fremantle Media, shooting a documentary on Aussie larrikin Paul Hogan.

The ratings success of the Molly series on music icon Ian Meldrum has the Fremantle boys convinced that Hoges’ story will be a box office smash.

TOP GUN

The battle for bragging rights as the state’s best pacer continues to heat following the sensational trial from Ultimate Art on Tuesday.

The Shannon Price-trained gelding stopped the clock in 1:51.8. The track record belongs to champion pacer Im Themightyquinn at 1:50.4.

Ultimate Art has won his past seven starts and is aiming at the winter carnival features next month.

BUMPER BONUS

Albion Park officials have been delighted with the response to guaranteed betting pools and Saturday night punters will again have the luxury of a $50,000 guarantee in the first four on Race 1.

THE SHOWDOWN

The rematch between Ohoka Punter and Avonnova takes place on Saturday night at Albion Park and this time the barrier edge is with the Ian Gurney-trained Avonnova.

The free legged pacer starts from gate two while Ohoka Punter starts from gate six.

WINTER WARMTH

Four pacers from the Luke McCarthy stable are among the first arrivals for next month’s winter carnival. Brisbane-raised Narissa McMullen will return from a successful stint in Sydney for the carnival.

Forecast heavy rain over the next month has prompted Albion Park officials to delay the resurfacing of the track until after the carnival.

DERBY INTEREST

Huge nominations were taken for tonight’s Redcliffe Derby, prompting officials to run a consolation. The $20,000 feature has attracted several classy types aiming at feature races during the winter carnival.

HOME JAMES

Emerging talent Jossie James remains on target for two-year-old features despite her scratching this week.

A blood test revealed all was not quite right and trainer Wayne Graham had no hesitation in holding her back this week and getting her back to full health.

Jossie James won the $80,000 Albion Park Gold at her last start on April 30.

Originally published as Storm player Jake Turpin takes the reins on an incredible double