A photo was required to determine the winner in Wednesday night’s Oberon Engineering Pace (1,730 metres) at Bathurst Paceway.
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Two Steve Turnbull-trained runners fought out the finish, with Cherry Mahoney ($3.80) just holding out a flying Ponte Milvio ($11.40).
Cherry Mahoney got an ideal run behind race favourite and death seat runner Sams Express.
Driver Amanda Turnbull pulled to the outside over the final 200m and survived a big scare from fellow mare Ponte Milvio to claim a 10th career victory.
“She coming off a hard [Breeders Challenge] heat at Menangle,” Turnbull said of her winner.
“She’s had a bit of a freshen up since then and has looked good.
“This race worked out really well for me. That was my aim, to try and take to sit behind Sams Express. It worked out perfectly.
“That got me to a pretty good spot, and my mare can go pretty good. It was pretty hard conditions out there as well, and really windy.”
In blustery, chilly conditions at Bathurst Paceway it was the third of Steve Turnbull’s runners in the race, Sabrage, who took up the running at the green light.
Inside starter Keilor Misty initially challenged for the lead but was happy to take the sit behind Sabrage.
No-one was in a hurry to make their way to the death seat but Cherry Mahoney was eventually the first runner to find that spot.
At the bell Sams Express swept around the outside of Cherry Mahoney to take that position.
That’s the way the field remained until the turn for home.
Inside the final 200m it was clear that the testing trip had taken its toll on the leading duo of Sams Express and Sabrage.
Sams Express attempted to go with the looming Cherry Mahoney but couldn’t offer up a challenge.
That was my aim, to try and take to sit behind Sams Express. It worked out perfectly.
- Amanda Turnbull
Cherry Mahoney raced on by the favourite and was joined by stablemate Ponte Milvio, driven by Amy Rees, in a thrilling finish.
Amanda Turnbull could count herself lucky there wasn’t a couple more metres to race.
The winning mile rate was 1:57.2.
Cherry Mahoney will hope to take her form into the upcoming Breeders Challenge Regional Finals at Bathurst Paceway.
Steve Turnbull (Kirra Kid, Cherry Mahoney) and Bernie Hewitt (Hez All Courage, Lifes A Jungle) both had winning doubles on Wednesday.
The fastest mile rate of the meeting belonged to Nathan Hurst’s Saloon Passage, who just held out Im Cool Harry in the Reliance Bank Pace (1,730m), for a time of 1:55.7.