BATHURST trainers, drivers, and even a volunteer have scooped the pool at the Harness Racing NSW awards night for season 2009-10 held on Saturday night.
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Steve Turnbull picked up one of the main gongs on the night as champion trainer, thanks to his 134 victories, while he was also recognised with a ‘centurion’ award for topping triple figures.
He was joined in that group by his daughter Amanda who received her own centurion award thanks to her 139 wins in the gig.
Ashlee Siejka did likewise, and in doing so claimed the champion junior driver award with her 168 wins.
Only Greg Bennett with 184 victories stopped Siejka taking the overall win as well as the junior title.
Commenting on whether he expected such a strong showing over the period under consideration from September 2009 to the end of August this year, the modest Steve Turnbull was almost dismissive of his massive haul.
“We were having a fairly good run there towards the end of last season, and early in the year we got a good break on Paul Fitzpatrick who had a bit of a virus go through his stable,” he explained.
“We have a lot harsher winter here in Bathurst and I thought we might drop off a little bit during the colder months but it didn’t really happen this year.”
Regarding the effort of his daughter, the seasoned trainer lauded her strike rate, and her ability to procure so many winners despite not having as many regular drives at the metropolitan meetings.
“Six of us in all [trainers and drivers] got over 100, just to do that is two winners a week on average, so Amanda has had a great year,” he said.
“You don’t really have that sort of thing on your mind in terms of a target but she’s certainly exceeded expectations.
“It is nice that the person who beat her in the junior driver standings was another local in Ashlee.
“The girls are good friends, and Ashlee has just had an unbelievable season.
“She has such a good stable behind her with Peter Russo and some of the Sydney trainers she works with as well. Amanda has mine, ‘Jack’ [Mark] Butler’s and Josh Turnbull’s so travelling hampers Amanda a bit. We’ve got a really good team of horses at the moment though so she should have another big year.”
Turnbull nominated the Group 1 Sires Stakes win for colts and geldings of Just A Blue Chip – driven by Amanda – as the high point of his season.
“Gill Schrader owns the horse, he bred it, and the Sires Stakes has always been a good race for me, I’d have to nominate that win as certainly the most satisfying,” Turnbull said.
The other Bathurst winner acknowledged on the night was John Halley, who was one of five winners, including Blayney’s Max Kingham, of the volunteer of the year award.