No Dubai trip for Turn Me Loose
A trip to Dubai has been taken off the table for Turn Me Loose, but there is still a chance he could earn a trip to Sydney.
Turn Me Loose failed to defend his Group I Futurity Stakes crown at Caulfield on Saturday when finishing second last in the 1400-metre feature won by the exciting Black Heart Bart.
‘‘The plan was to go to the front, but he was a touch slow and he ended up trailing third,’’ said Murray Baker, who trains the Iffraaj five-year-old in partnership with Andrew Forsman.
‘‘He’s best in front. When he’s there he pushes them out of their comfort zone. Kerrin (McEvoy) said he felt good and I couldn’t have been happier with him going into the race.’’ Turn Me Loose’s unplaced effort ruled out the possibility of heading to Meydan for the US$6 million Dubai Turf (1800m) on March 25, but Baker believes Turn Me Loose can bounce back to his best form.
‘‘Dubai’s out, but he could still get to Randwick,’’ he said. ‘‘He’ll probably run in the Blamey Stakes in two weeks and that should suit him better. He’s looking for the 1600 now.’’
Two of Turn Me Loose’s three Group I wins have been over 1600 metres, in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas and the Emirates Stakes. In the latter win he was ridden by McEvoy, who has been his regular rider this campaign but won’t be available for the Goup II Blamey Stakes at Flemington on March 11.
‘‘Kerrin will be riding in Sydney so we’ll have to find another rider, but that shouldn’t be a problem,’’ Baker said.
- NZ Racing Desk