Horse by horse preview: Looking at the field for the Boxing Day's Group 2 Shirley Turnbull Memorial

42-13-8-4

T: Sonya Smith

D: Cameron Hart

Notable wins:

Make Way lived up to his name at the start of his current preparation by going on a four race winning streak.

Went a little amiss while looking for a gap during his Group 2 Cranbourne Gold Cup sprint for home but was a respectable sixth.

Comes to Bathurst on the back of a runner-up finish at Bankstown as favourite.

Earns the number one gate courtesy of being lowest-rated runner but don't let that fool you into thinking there's not much for this Mach Three horse to offer.

137-29-16-14

T: KerryAnn Morris

D: KerryAnn Morris

Notable wins:

Has made two previous trips to Bathurst Paceway and won on both occasions but neither event was remotely close to the quality of this affair.

The nine-year-old veteran went back-to-back at Menangle this preparation but came home last in the Group 3 John Biskin Free For All, which also featured fellow Shirley Turnbull Memorial starters Alta Orlando and Cruz.

That's a deceptive result though, considering the field could have had a blanket thrown over them at the finish.

Smokey Quartz is much further into his preparation compared to his rivals so it's difficult to ascertain how much improvement he can find as he takes another step up in grade for this one.

43-13-3-6

T: John McCarthy

D: John McCarthy

Notable wins:

John McCarthy's McCardle gelding is first up after a brief stint away from the track, looking to build off a preparation which contained his biggest career victory.

Jack Farthing's Group 3 Nick Robin Free For All win is one worth paying attention to when you consider the quality of opposition, as he beat home Ellmers Image and Alta Orlando to the prize.

He came close to adding another Group 3 win when finishing a close third behind best-backed duo Hail Christian and Cash N Flow in the Lazarus At Yiribee Free For All.

This is just his third look at the Bathurst track and McCarthy will be hoping for a better race than the latest start, where he contacted the barrier arm and finished ninth.

71-19-11-10

T: Steve Turnbull

D: Steve Turnbull

Notable wins:

The less said about the recent New Zealand Inter Dominion campaign for Conviction the better - and you can expect an improvement from Turnbull's runner on his home track.

Conviction was simply outclassed and out of his comfort zone in the clockwise-orientated events.

Prior to his New Zealand trip Conviction won in a career best mile rate at Menangle and wasn't miles away in his next start in a red hot Kevin Robinson Free For All run.

You can't count him out as he makes his way back to a more familiar venue.

34-18-7-3

T: James Rattray

D: James Rattray

Notable wins:

Rattray's Harjeet has been a menace on his home tracks in Tasmania but can he continue that dominance at Bathurst Paceway?

He showed no signs of travel hangover when he ran second to Craig Cross' superstar Cash N Flow in the Group 3 Sue Kelly Free For All.

Harjeet moved on to the Lazarus At Yiribee FFA with high hopes but finished last in a disappointing run.

He's drawn well for his first Bathurst tilt and focusing too much on his horror last-start performance could be a big mistake for punters.

79-18-10-11

T: Craig Cross

D: Amanda Turnbull

Notable wins:

Formerly trained by Bathurst's Chris Frisby, Our Wall Street Wolf has been under the care of Craig Cross for the past two months.

This is a big step up in grade from his recent starts but a Menangle win in a 1:51.2 mile rate, run at a consistently high tempo, means he should be respected.

Our Wall Street Wolf knows the track well and has picked up five wins here.

Has been right in the mix during several of his Group-level starts but has never quite made that breakthrough.

74-19-11-5

T: Chris Frisby

D: Anthony Frisby

Notable wins:

The late inclusion of Our Uncle Sam in Tuesday's extended field has turned the race on its head, with the former Inter Dominion and Hunter Cup runner-up adding another level of quality to the contest.

The Frisbys may not have enjoyed the New Zealand campaign they wanted with Our Uncle Sam but they'll be confident heading into a race at home which they almost won last year.

Our Uncle Sam put in the hard yards to run third in the 2018 Shirley Turnbull Memorial, and with a better trip this time you can count on him being towards the front at the finish once again.

68-14-10-11

T: Craig Cross

D: Luke McCarthy

Notable wins:

Ever since Alta Orlando has come across from New Zealand all he has done is create headline after headline for Cross.

He finished runner-up in the Queensland Group 1 Black's A Fake, missed out in the Victoria Cup but went on to win a pair of high quality Group 3 events in Menangle and place in two others.

The latest of those saw him beat My Field Marshall and Tiger Tara with a commanding run to the line in the Alf Phillis FFA.

He may be drawn widest on the front row but you can expect Alta Orlando to still take up the running on the opening lap of this race.

65-21-17-7

T: Steve Turnbull

D: Mitch Turnbull

Notable wins:

The second of Turnbull's runners in the race enters the Group 2 event in great form.

There's strong winning hopes for the Art Major gelding, especially with the way he's been running lately.

Courtsinsession was in a winter wonderland last season when he won three straight Group 3 events, and showed signs of that form in his recent fourth placing at Menangle close behind Alta Orlando, My Field Marshall and Tiger Tara.

That's some great company to be around, and if some luck comes the way of driver Mitch Turnbull then there's no reason he can't figure in that crowd again.

111-37-26-14

T: Kevin Pizzuto

D: Todd McCarthy

Notable wins:

The utterly dominant 2018 Inter Dominion and 2019 Hunter Cup winner who carries a career prize purse of $2.3 million and a glowing resume of success.

Was a little off his game in his last preparation but returned a fortnight ago at Menangle with a much more encouraging third placing.

He didn't quite have the legs to hold off Alta Orlando but the signs are there that Tiger Tara can get back to his world-beating best on Thursday at Bathurst.

The back row draw makes things a little tricky for driver Todd McCarthy and it will be interesting to see how the speed off the front affects his approach to the race.

60-22-12-4

T: Craig Cross

D: Leonard Cain

Notable wins:

Wasn't up to scratch behind several Shirley Turnbull Memorial rivals in his Group 3 endeavours this season but there's one good reason to pay attention to him for his first Bathurst run.

He ran a 55 second closing half to win at Menangle over the 2,300m in his most recent start - a great showcase of his staying ability.

That's what you like to see from a horse taking the step up to 2,790m for his following start this Thursday.

He set a new career best mile rate of 1:50.4 in September where he led the whole trip against a field stacked with top tier runners.

65-26-16-6

T: Tim Butt

D: Anthony Butt

Notable wins:

One of Australasia's modern pacing legends who owns the fastest mile rate (1:46.9) ever run on the continent.

Spent most of 2019 out with cardiac arrhythmia before making his long awaited long awaited return a fortnight ago.

There would have been plenty of nerves for connections in his first run back since his heart condition was reported in March but he looked sensational.

He flashed home for second place in that race and if he continues his trajectory then the rest of the field better look out.