A well judged front running ride from Kerrin McEvoy saw Turn Me Loose lead all of the way to win the Group 1 $1m Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington today.

Turn Me Loose led all of the way to win the Emirates Stakes at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.

The noted bold Kiwi front runner made it a hat trick of wins on Australian soil after taking out the Listed $150,000 Darley Seymour Cup (1600m) at Seymour on October 18 followed by a win in the Group 2 $200,000 Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley two weeks ago.

McEvoy only picked up the winning ride on Turn Me Loose after his regular rider, top New Zealand hoop Opie Bosson, was suspended for careless riding and was unavailable.

McEvoy had no hesitation in taking Turn Me Loose ($9) straight of the front after he was one of the first to leave the barriers and set a steady tempo in the lead.

Rounding the home McEvoy lengthened the reins slightly and the four year was able to maintain the lead all the way down the long Flemington straight.

In form mare Politeness ($10) made a late charge and ran the winner down to within a neck with Rock Sturdy ($31) also making up plenty of ground late for third.

Equal favourite Disposition ($5) was given a lovely run by Damien Oliver and after putting himself in the picture at the 300m, failure to run out a strong 1600m to finish eighth.

The other equal favourite Bow Creek was last to leave the barriers and was never in the hunt after travelling three wide midfield and wound up finishing twelfth..

Winning Kiwi trainer Murray Baker capped off a great Melbourne Spring Carnival collecting his second Group 1 trophy after winning the Group 1 $3m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 17 with Mongolian Khan.

“He is a good tough horse, he can run those sectionals, and it can make it hard for those horses behind him,” Baker said about Turn Me Loose.

“He rode him great. Commiserations for Opie Bosson who has ridden him right through, but Kerrin just showed what a quality rider he was today.”

Baker is certain that Turn Me Loose will be able to run a strong 2000m and had originally been targeting the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley a fortnight ago.

But he said that Turn Me Loose had missed a vital lead up run in New Zealand so he decide to aim for the Emirates Stakes.

“Absolutely certain. Originally he was nominated for the Cox Plate, but he missed that race in Hastings that put him back so we had to target the Stakes, but I am sure he will run 2000m.”

McEvoy said that Turn Me Loose is a bold striding stallion and he was a bit concerned mid race when seemed to be going a little hard.

“I rode him work Thursday morning for the first time and he is just a bold going Kiwi,’ McEvoy said.

“He likes to get out there and make every post a winner.”

“I knew that Murray had him in great order the way he felt Thursday. I knew the ground would be no problem.”

“I was a little bit worried half way because he was going bold in my hands but he gave a good kick at the 600m and another kick at the 300m and he was too strong for them.”

Emirates Stakes Results