The Melbourne Spring Racing action kicks off in earnest on Saturday with Flemington host to a highly anticipated edition of the Group 1 $750,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).
Chris Waller’s in-form Underwood Stakes champ Buckaroo heads betting on the 2024 Turnbull Stakes this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
A top field of potential Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup contenders faces off in what promises to be a thrilling edition of the set weights plus penalties showdown and markets are wide open at Ladbrokes.
Chris Waller’s in-form gelding Buckaroo aiming for a third straight win this prep currently sits atop the 2024 Turnbull Stakes odds paying $4.20 to continue his ace campaign.
The talented son of Fastnet Rock secured a win fresh in Sydney’s Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes before scoring a surprise 3.5 length victory at Caulfield in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes over 1800m last time out.
Saturday marks his seventh 2000m assignment where he chases his first win at the distance with Brazilian hoop Joao Moreira continuing associations on the favourite.
Waller, a five-time Turnbull Stakes winning trainer, unleashes a five-horse assault on this year’s 16-horse field looking for his sixth success and first since Verry Elleegant in 2020.
Along with Buckaroo, the other most likely for the stable is three-time Group 1 winning mare Via Sistina who will be ridden by Damian Lane.
She is a genuine 2000m horse with four wins and four seconds from her nine previous runs at the distance including the Group 1 Ranvet Stakes on debut down under.
Via Sistina secured another elite level fresh in Australia in the Group 1 Winx Stakes two back but was a disappointment for favourite backers in Flemington’s Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) last time out when beaten over six lengths by Mr Brightside finishing out of the money.
The Heavy-rated track got the better of her in the Makybe Diva and she looks nicely placed to atone on firmer going in the Turnbull.
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott saddle-up the other major player in this year’s Turnbull Stakes betting markets with $4.80 on offer for the flying Eliyass to post his sixth straight victory.
The widely drawn Frech import looks a genuine threat from the outside alley (16) as he looks to emulate Gold Trip who won from the same barrier last year.
He has been in dominant form since arriving in Australia winning all three starts for the Waterhouse/Bott stable including his latest in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) over the Turnbull distance in Sydney.
With plenty of other notable spring contenders in the mix, the 2024 Turnbull Stakes is a must watch showdown at 4:25pm (AEST) at Flemington on Saturday.
2024 Turnbull Stakes Field
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 343x4411x8 | CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) | Ciaron Maher | John Allen | 11 | 58kg | 108 | ||
| 2 | 4x274313x0 | BOIS D’ARGENT (GB) | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Jamie Mott | 14 | 58kg | 108 | ||
| 3 | 5x5356x811 | BUCKAROO (GB) | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 8 | 58kg | 113 | ||
| 4 | 32x2x12x15 | VIA SISTINA (IRE) | Chris Waller | Damian Lane | 12 | 57kg | 117 | ||
| 5 | 16x62521x4 | WARMONGER (NZ) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Michael Dee | 10 | 57kg | 106 | ||
| 6 | 1x211x1x11 | ELIYASS (FR) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Ethan Brown | 16 | 56.5kg | 109 | ||
| 7 | 21x8132x96 | ATISHU (NZ) | Chris Waller | Mark Zahra | 5 | 56kg | 114 | ||
| 8 | 66x01540x2 | HUETOR (FR) | Peter Snowden | Koby Jennings | 6 | 56kg | 109 | ||
| 9 | 90x3669x02 | SHARP ’N’ SMART (NZ) | Graeme & Deborah Rogerson | Luke Currie | 13 | 55kg | 107 | ||
| 10 | 2x317062x1 | YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) | Danny O’Brien | Jye McNeil | 2 | 55kg | 106 | ||
| 11 | 1x0570x079 | FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) | Chris Waller | Craig Newitt | 1 | 55kg | 104 | ||
| 12 | 5x110x27x8 | PLACE DU CARROUSEL (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Ben Melham | 4 | 55kg | 112 | ||
| 13 | 735662×870 | BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) | Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson | Billy Egan | 15 | 55kg | 102 | ||
| 14 | 6933×75524 | DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Declan Bates | 7 | 55kg | 104 | ||
| 15 | 13x24234x9 | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | Jordan Childs | 9 | 55kg | 102 | ||
| 16 | 4x212256x0 | VALIANT KING (GB) | Chris Waller | Beau Mertens | 3 | 55kg | 98 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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