AMANDA Turnbull has driven more winners in her career than she can recall, but when she jumps in the gig at the Penrith Paceway tonight she will be behind a horse for whom she will no doubt feel some fondness.
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Earlier this year, when The Lagoon driver became just the second female in the 57-year history of the Mildura Cup to steer a winner, it was Im Blue Double Dee that landed her the prize.
The Jet Laag x Preserved colt, who is distinctive for his grey colouring, won that Group 2 race as a $29.40 chance.
“He loves racing on small tracks and the race panned out perfectly as there was good speed on throughout, which he likes as it suits his fast finishing style,” Turnbull said of that win.
“Dad [Steve Turnbull] bought him at a Bathurst yearling sale and he has been a terrific horse for us.”
Turnbull will drive Im Blue Double Dee – with whom she also won the 2013 Young Cherry Festival Cup – in the feature race of Penrith’s Carnival of Cups meeting tonight.
The Max Laughton OAM Carnival Of Cups Pace carries both Group 3 status and a $30,000 purse, with Turnbull to try her luck from barrier six.
While the 2,125 metre race has a relatively small eight-horse field, many leading stables are represented and will provide the talented reinswoman with stiff competition.
However, Im Blue Double Dee does have a good record at Penrith.
Being a smaller track – 804 metres long, with a 130 metre home straight – it is one suited to his style of racing.
In seven runs at Penrith, Im Blue Double Dee boasts three wins and has only missed out on placing once. His most recent success there came with Turnbull in the gig, the colt clocking a zippy 28.5 seconds run home to win the President’s Cup.
Tonight will be his 126th career start, but he will not be the only veteran in the field.
Bathurst trainer-driver Ashlee Siejka will start alongside Turnbull in barrier five with her experienced campaigner Atom Of Courage.
The son of Courage Under Fire will be having his 116th start in the Carnival Of Cups feature, which will also double as his 16th appearance in a Group race.
His most recent win came at Eugowra on October 6 in the Don Tildsley Memorial, the field in that race including Im Blue Double Dee.
The Max Laughton OAM Carnival Of Cups Pace will go at 8.15pm tonight, while Turnbull will also contest the $10,000 Pink Diamond Three Year Old immediately prior to that with Hey Porscha.