This Sunday at Flemington’s rescheduled Melbourne Cup Preview Day, a star studded line-up of the spring’s hottest contenders will take to the track in the $500,000 Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).
The 2010 Turnbull Stakes has drawn a capacity field of 16 horses plus four emergencies including last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Shocking.
Shocking, a Mark Kavanagh-trained Street Cry five-year-old, will be out to maintain his unbeaten record at Flemington and improve from his last start fifth to So You Think in the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield.
Shocking will be ridden by champion hoop Michael Rodd but has suffered a blow drawing out wide in barrier 14.
Equal favourite to win the 2010 Melbourne Cup following an eye-catching second in the Underwood Stakes, Bart Cummings’ Queensland Derby winning mare Dariana is another topliner in Sunday’s Turnbull Stakes.
Dariana has also drawn poorly with barrier 19 and will have Steven Arnold aboard.
Faint Perfume is the other classy contender for Cummings in the Turnbull Stakes, the four-year-old Shamardal mare looking to return to form after two less-than-impressive spring starts having drawn better in barrier five.
Coming up trumps in the Turnbull Stakes barriers was the Michael Moroney-trained Monaco Consul, the winner of last year’s Victoria Derby due to jump from the coveted gate one.
One horse not to be underestimated on Sunday is the John Wallace-trained Shoot Out drawn ideally in barrier two.
High Chaparral gelding Shoot Out has had two unlucky spring starts this season finishing third in both the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield and the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley but is tipped to improve in the Turnbull with the step up to 2000m and the extra space provided on the Flemington track.
Other notable Turnbull Stakes runners include Horse of the Year Typhoon Tracy (barrier 10), and John O’shea’s duo Jessicabeel (barrier 20) and Zabrasive (barrier 12), Rosehill Guineas winner Zabrasive racing with blinkers on to help improve the Zabeel gelding’s form.
The Turnbull Stakes is one of four great Group races at Flemington this Sunday with other highlights including the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) for three-year-old fillies, the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) and the Group 2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) for mares.
Australia’s favourite online bookie Sportsbet will open their Turnbull Stakes betting shortly so sign up with them to get the best odds available!
2010 Turnbull Stakes Final Field, Barrier Draw & Weights
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Weight (kg) | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SHOCKING | Mark Kavanagh | Michael Rodd | 14 | 59 | 117 |
| 2 | ZIPPING | Robert Hickmott | Nicholas Hall | 6 | 59 | 116 |
| 3 | ZAVITE (NZ) | Anthony Cummings | Ben Melham | 9 | 59 | 111 |
| 4 | METAL BENDER (NZ) | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 15 | 59 | 116 |
| 5 | SHOOT OUT | John Wallace | Stathi Katsidis | 2 | 58 | 115 |
| 6 | MONACO CONSUL (NZ) | Michael Moroney | Craig Williams | 1 | 58 | 108 |
| 7 | VIGOR (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | James Winks | 13 | 57.5 | 111 |
| 8 | SPEED GIFTED (GB) | Lee Freedman | Danny Nikolic | 3 | 57.5 | 107 |
| 9 | TYPHOON TRACY | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 10 | 57 | 117 |
| 10 | ZABRASIVE (NZ) | John O’Shea | Craig Newitt | 12 | 56.5 | 107 |
| 11 | STERLING PRINCE (NZ) | Wayne Hillis | Steven King | 4 | 56.5 | 102 |
| 12 | FAINT PERFUME | Bart Cummings | Glen Boss | 5 | 56 | 108 |
| 13 | JESSICABEEL (NZ) | John O’Shea | Mark Zahra | 20 | 55.5 | 108 |
| 14 | BUCCELLATI (GB) | Tony Noonan | Blake Shinn | 8 | 55.5 | 108 |
| 15 | DARIANA | Bart Cummings | Steven Arnold | 19 | 54.5 | 109 |
| 16 | DESCARADO (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | Dwayne Dunn | 17 | 54.5 | 111 |
| 17e | RAFFAELLO | Jim Marconi | - | 11 | 55 | 104 |
| 18e | MOUDRE | Ciaron Maher | - | 7 | 55 | 101 |
| 19e SCRATCHED | C’EST LA GUERRE (NZ) | Robert Hickmott | - | 18 | 54.5 | 108 |
| 20e | VALDEMORO | Tony Vasil | Jason Maskiell (a) | 16 | 51.5 | 102 |
