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Western Australian star Cosmic Crusader announced himself as a major spring carnival force with a commanding victory in the Group 1 $750,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday, relishing the rain-affected conditions to secure the second elite-level success of his career.
The six-year-old son of Maurice continued his outstanding campaign for trainer Andrea Leek, overcoming a quality field to defeat Light Infantry Man by 1¾ lengths, with highly fancied mare Aeliana a further length away in third in the 2026 Turnbull Stakes results.
Starting at $8, Cosmic Crusader entered the Turnbull off a consistent preparation that had already delivered victories in the Bletchingly Stakes and P.B. Lawrence Stakes. Stepping to 2000 metres for the first time this campaign, he proved perfectly suited by the testing conditions at Flemington, producing a powerful performance under William Pike to take his career earnings beyond $2.4 million.
An emotional Leek admitted the result was difficult to process immediately after the race.
“Excitement, shaking, and I can’t wait to go and see the horse and see how he’s pulled up,” she told Racing Victoria.
“It was a great ride from Willie, I’m very appreciative of the Peters family and I’m thrilled for my whole family.”
Leek said confidence had been growing that Cosmic Crusader was ready to excel at the Turnbull’s 2000m distance after a series of strong lead-up runs.
“I just think, I shouldn’t say, the fittest in the field,” she said.
“He’s had a few runs now, I thought he had come on from the last run, and I just thought he would run the 2000 (metres).”
While many rivals were tackling the race earlier in their spring preparations, Leek believed the timing was ideal for her seasoned campaigner.
“He’s a tricky horse but I sent a message to Bob this morning, there’s no excuses today. He’s spot on and thank God I was right,” she said.
The trainer was also confident the rain would play into the gelding’s hands.
“I galloped him one morning at Pakenham and it was about a Heavy 15,” Leek explained.
“The tracks were closed and they were good enough to let us work him because he was going into one of his previous races.
“He went across the top of it like it was a good track. I was pretty confident he would handle the wet.”
For Pike, the Turnbull Stakes success was a satisfying reward after sticking solid with the galloper through a preparation where he had repeatedly hinted at another major victory.
“First of all, thank you to Mr Peters and his family,” the ‘Wizard of the West’ said.
“They were backing me from the get-go even when I put in a bit of an iffy one a couple of starts ago.
“It is really nice to get the job done. He was putting in those good runs without getting the job done so I really like to get it done for him.”
The champion jockey felt the softer conditions were a crucial factor after firmer ground may have worked against Cosmic Crusader at his previous appearance.
“What might have brought us unstuck last start was the firmer deck so good cut out of it today,” Pike said.
“I don’t think it was quite as heavy as I initially thought. It (the track) rode really well. He loved it.”
There is every chance the fit and firing Turnbull Stakes winner could now target the Group 1 $6 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2000m) with the weight-for-age championship to run at Flemington on October 24 with The Valley closed for redevelopment.
Via Sistina (2024) was the last galloper to complete the double backing-up from her Turnbull triumph to claim an eight-length Cox Plate victory that spring.
The bookies reacted quickly to the Turnbull results with Cosmic Crusader firming from $26 into $8 at race sponsor Ladbrokes in all-in Cox Plate 2026 betting.
Cox Plate 2026 Odds
| 1. Sir Delius | ||
| 2. Birdman | ||
| 3. Aeliana | ||
| 4. Cosmic Crusader | ||
| 5. Ceolwulf |
He has also been cut from $26 into $15 for the Caulfield Cup over 2400m on October 17 despite being unlikely to stretch out to the mile and half.
Behind the winner, the Ciaron Maher-trained Light Infantry Man enhanced his Cups credentials with a brave runner-up performance after racing prominently throughout.
“Gee he went good, didn’t he? He was very brave and we just threw the reins at him and let him gallop,” jockey Harry Coffey said.
“He thrived in that sort of scenario. I was waiting for them to come but he was really brave, fought on, and the main thing is he’s pulled up well so he is in the zone.”
Aeliana, meanwhile, lost few admirers in third, with Damian Lane expecting significant improvement at her next start.
“Super. The race shape just wasn’t ideal for her for where she’s at in her preparation. After a tough run today, she’s going to be peaking next start,” Lane said of Waller’s Melbourne Cup-bound mare.
The Turnbull Stakes has long been one of the key form races leading into the major spring features, and Saturday’s dominant display firmly established Cosmic Crusader as a genuine threat in whichever elite-level target connections choose next.
Already a Group 1 winner in the Northerly Stakes and now successful at Flemington over 2000 metres, the versatile gelding has shown he possesses the class, fitness and wet-track ability required to feature prominently during the remainder of the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
For now, however, the spotlight belongs to Cosmic Crusader, whose emphatic Turnbull Stakes victory confirmed the Western Australian standout has successfully transitioned onto the national stage and remains one of the most progressive weight-for-age performers in training.
