EVEN when he doesn’t have one of the favourites Steve Turnbull often finds a way to win at Bathurst Paceway.
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Turnbull timed his run out wide to perfection on Wednesday night to guide Annie Matilda ($33.80) to victory in the GC32 Yearling Payment Due 30 June State Bred Pace (1,730 metres).
Annie Matilda followed Nathan Hurst on Panther Star ($10.80) around the turn for home and the pair raced by their rivals on the inside over the final 50m.
Turnbull’s mare had more to give and beat Panther Star to the line by 2.9m. Annie Matilda won in a career best winning mile rate of 1:55.9.
Afamilyaffair ($12.50) was third.
I’m not too sure how far she will go but she’s done a great job so far.
- Steve Turnbull
Odds-on favourite Karloo Threeothree ($1.60) was left three wide with no cover by driver Mat Rue throughout the race.
The run took too much out of the Barry Lew runner and he failed to feature at the finish.
Turnbull said Karloo Threeothree’s trip did give him a bit of confidence, but his mare still had plenty of work to do on the last lap.
“She was well back with a lot of traffic in her way. I got a beautiful run into it though. I followed Hursty’s [Nathan Hurst] horse around them and she was able to sprint home,” he said.
“She got into trouble the other day at Young when she got cut off and broke. We’ve got to forgive her for that one. I’m not too sure how far she will go but she’s done a great job so far.
“We’ve only had her for a month or so but hopefully she can keep winning for us.”
In her three starts for the Turnbull stable Annie Matilda has picked up two wins, both on her home track.
Turnbull went on to win the next two races on Wednesday night’s program with Hidden Courage and Smithstars Lexus.
A Group 1 crown almost came Turnbull’s way on Sunday when one of his stars Atomic Red came close to winning the Breeders Challenge Three-Year-Old Colts & Geldings Final.
Turnbull was thrilled to come within 3.2m of Mark Purdon’s champion Vincent, who remains undefeated in Australia.
“We were over the moon with our fella to run that time,” he said, after the winner’s 1:50.2 mile rate run.
“Mark believes his horse is going to be as good as Lazarus. He’s got a lot of high regard for him and … that made us feel good. It was an enormous run for our guy.”
