Young Turk to strike early
WESLEY Vale trainer Glenn Stevenson does not normally show his two-year-olds early but at El wick on Sunday he is hoping Turk Warrior will deliver in only the second juvenile race of the season.
The well-bred gelding will debut in the $20,000 Tony Carrick Vase over 1000m, which also is a Tasbreeders bonus race that carries and owner bonus of $16,000 and a breeder bonus of $4000.
Turk Warrior has been to the trials for a second in Launceston to Fighting Styx and more recently a win on the synthetic at Spreyton, defeating Miss Charlie Brown and Further She Goes.
Most pundits who watched the 2YO trials at Mowbray last month agreed Turk Warrior, pictured, could have won but was held back by jockey Ismail Toker, who will be aboard the son of Outreach on Sunday.
“I’ve liked this horse from day one because nothing fazes him and he can really gallop ,” Stevenson said.
“He came to my stables and from his first visit to the beach he showed real professionalism.
“Waves were crashing in, people were walking on the beach and there was a lot going on, but he just observed it all around him without flinching a muscle.
“When he was introduced to the water he casually st rolled in and started wading through the waves and that’s almost unheard of for a twoyear-old.
“But when we galloped him, he was strong and well balanced, and he has shown us more each time we have trialled him.
“I am looking forward to see what he can do on race day, but from what he’s shown us so far, I’d say he’ll give his backers a great sight .”
Turk Warrior was passed in at the Tasmanian Magic Millions yearling sale but bought later by Toker’s uncle Sayit Basol.
He comes up against three with race experience, Champagne Cinders, Fighting Styx and Coeur De Lyon, who finished second, third and fourth behind Geegee Lucky Jess at El wick two weeks ago.
Race experience counts for a lot with early two-year-olds but that trio also have to contend with impressive trial winner in the Scott Brunton-trained Neutralize, who won her trail by almost two lengths under a hold at Elwick on November 16.
Neutralize was impressive in leading all the way, showing brilliant gate speed and she will need to show that on Sunday as she has drawn near the outside gate (6).
The remaining two runners in the field of seven have all had one trial with the Stuart Gandy-trained Gee Gee Otherwords the most impressive when third to Fighting Styx and Turk Warrio rover 800m without being fully extended.
THE thoroughbred meeting scheduled for Elwick on December 13 has been transferred to Launceston on December12.
T as racing dispatched a notification to trainer son Thursday advising of the change that was made to ensure the Hobart track received substantial recovery time before the start of the feature races at the Elwick venue that start to roll out on December27.
The two feature races that day are the $100,000 Tasmanian Guineas (1600m) for three-year-olds and the 2YO Alex and ra Plate over 1000m.