STEVE Turnbull is no stranger to contesting the state’s top pacing events, but even he was surprised to qualify six runners across the  Group 1 NSW Breeders Challenge races at Menangle on Sunday.

With all three finals his horses will contest carrying a minimum of $100,000 in prize money, there is plenty on the line for The Lagoon’s leading trainer.

It is the Three Year Old Fillies Final (1,609 metres) where Turnbull has his greatest presence.

Sportygal, Pixies Parlour and Cherry Mahoney all qualified for the decider.

Turnbull will be in the driver’s seat on Cherry Mahoney while his son Mitch and daughter Amanda take the drives on Sportygal and Pixies Parlour respectively.

Taking on the top NSW-bred fillies in the state was already a difficult task, but it has been made even harder with only one starter, Sportygal, getting a front row draw.

Sportygal was the shock qualifier from Turnbull’s stable, sneaking into the finale with her sixth place in the semi-final at winning odds of $67.

Turnbull said he’s just happy to see her make the cut.

“She’s just got to try and get a sit up close. She seems to be able to follow any speed and she’s come a long way really from being just an ordinary filly to being able to qualify for a Group 1,” he said.

“She’s been drawing the back line a lot in her races lately, so I’m not too sure how much gate speed she’s got.

“She’s definitely been the surprise. The other fillies have been nice two-year-olds and they were both in the Gold Crown Carnival.”

It is in one of those runners, last year’s Gold Tiara winner Pixies Parlour, that the trainer sees as his best winning hope.

She will go off from the second row directly behind her stablemate, while Cherry Mahoney starts two spots wider.

Pixies Parlour couldn’t repeat her Gold Tiara success when she was sixth in the Gold Bracelet this year, but since then she hasn’t finished outside the top three.

“Pixies took a while to get going this time, but she’s going alright now. Both her [Breeders Challenge] starts she was in the death seat doing all the work. If she happens to get a bit of a sit up, then the race should be a lot better for her,” Turnbull said.

“I think probably Cherry and Pixies have good each-way chances. They’ve both been there and done that and they both go good at Menangle.”

Turnbull said his total of six Breeders Challenge finalists – which also includes Hey Porsha, Atomic Red and Conviction – would be the strongest representation he’s had at the prestigious meeting.

“I’d say it would be,” he said.

“Usually in these races I manage to get someone that can qualify. It’s not a bad series for me because the real chances aren’t paid up for this one. These are for the home-bred ones, similar to the old Sires Stakes races we had a lot of fun with over the years.”