GIVEN the amount of hard work Nathan Turnbull has had to put into training Carramar Times Up any time the mare wins is special, yet when she saluted on Wednesday night it carried even more significance.
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When Turnbull steered the $3.80 chance to victory in the Zagro Pace (2,260 metres) at the Bathurst Paceway, it marked his 200th career training win.
As a son of master The Lagoon trainer-driver Steve Turnbull and Grandson of the legendary Tony 'AD' Turnbull, Nathan Turnbull has long been involved in the sport.
Like so many others in his family he transitioned from a stable driver to a trainer-driver in his own right and has steadily built his team. He went from training 11 winners in season 2014-15 to cracking the 50 milestone for the first time last season when Watchoutnexttime saluted in August.
On Wednesday night there was another milestone as his five-year-old Western Terror x Ridge Top mare won over the longer distance trip for the first time.
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But Turnbull revealed afterwards the distance was not his concern, but rather how Carramar Times Up would fare from barrier five.
"I knew that [distance] wouldn't be the drama, I knew the line would hold the front so I knew I was up against it coming from back in the field and I had to get going a bit sooner than I wanted," he said.
"But she was good enough to hold them off there in the end. She took a lot of working out ... but she seems to have her head screwed on at the moment. It's super good to do it with this horse, the 200th win, because she's taken so much training to get going."
It was Enk Spot Shannon who held the lead from barrier one, while Turnbull found himself one-out and three back as the bell sounded.
Down the back straight he made his move, guiding Carramar Times Up forward on a three-wide charge.
As they balanced at the top of the straight the mare was eye-balling Enk Spot Shannon and with 50m to go, she had her head in front.
Amethyst ($19, John O'Shea), who had been three back on the pegs with a lap to travel, flew home wide in the final meters but in the end came up a neck short. Enk Spot Shannon ($12) was a metre further back in third.
Carramar Times Up clocked a 1:56.8 mile rate as she helped Turnbull to his 200th career win.
