WHEN Amanda Turnbull drove Fasika to victory in Tuesday night's Junee Pacers Cup, not only did she add another feature win to her packed resume, but made it 900 career winners as a trainer.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Turnbull obtained her trainer's licence back in season 2013-14 - that campaign she had 45 starts and just five wins.
But since then the The Lagoon talent has gone on to enjoy a brilliant run of success as a trainer, the now 31-year-old boasting six Group 1 wins, nine at Group 2 level and 20 Group 3 features.
Her career winning strike rate is a handy 28 percent, with horses such as Ellmers Image (18 wins), Shoobee Doo (17), Eye See Diamonds (16) and Tact Tate (12) delivering Turnbull some memorable moments.
On Tuesday night it was a four-year-old called Fasika who had Turnbull smiling.
The Sweet Lou x Pocket of Jewels mare, who had her first start for Turnbull in October last year, produced a stellar front-running display in the Junee Pacers Cup (2,170 metres).
Fasika ($6) was able to capitalise on finding the front early from barrier eight and from there dictated terms with her main rival, the $1.22 favourite Nerano, sitting without cover.
Fasika went to win by 8.1 metres in a 1:58.3 mile rate.
Now boasting five wins and a pair of seconds in her eight starts for Turnbull, who has also driven Faskia in each of her runs, Turnbull said she thought the gate suited her after being hampered by a number of inside second row draws.
"It worked out really good as once she got to the front she was always going to be hard to run down," Turnbull said.
"When they all got in I didn't really know what to do - whether to keep rolling along or just sit up but I knew she would be pretty hard to get around.
Fasika's next assignment will come in the Ladyship Pace Menangle on Saturday night over the shorter 1,609 metres trip.
Turnbull thinks the mare has the potential to go and win more features.
"We've always had an opinion of her," she said.
"She will probably need a spell as she's done everything so quick, but we will go through this next series [at Menangle], see what she does and I think she will make it.
"She has done everything so quickly with this handicapping system a break might do her the world of good and she might come back even better."
As well as steering Fasika to success, Turnbull enjoyed two more wins at Junee, the first coming when stable driver Isobel Ross was able to take out the Menangle Country Series Heat with Mighty George.
While rated a $17 chance, he was able to lead all the way to just hold off Major Huss to win by a half head. It was his second win for Turnbull since joining her team in October last year.
"He's had a bit of a freshen up so that probably helped and a bit of luck with a couple of the good ones got locked up," she said.
"He out toughed them just."
Ross also drove Iam The Captain ($9) to victory in the Allan and Phyllis Harpley Memorial.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.westernadvocate.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News