In Brief
- Stevenson's two-year-old showed ability from day one.
- Nothing fazes Turk Warrior.
- Gelding has improved with every outing.
Wesley Vale trainer Glenn Stevenson doesn’t normally show his two-year-olds early but in Hobart on Sunday he is hoping Turk Warrior will deliver the goods in only the second juvenile race of the season.
The well-bred gelding will debut in the $20,000 Tony Carrick Vase over 1000 metres, 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 twice for a second in Launceston to Fighting Styx and more recently a win on the synthetic in Devonport, defeating Miss Charlie Brown and Further She Goes.
Most pundits who watched the first set of official 2YO trials in Launceston last month agreed Turk Warrior could have won his trial but was held back by rider Ismail Toker who will be aboard the gelded 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 strolled in and started wading through the waves and that’s almost unheard of for a two-year-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.”
The gelding was passed in at this year’s Tasmanian Magic Millions yearling sale but purchased after the sale by jockey Toker’s uncle Sayit Basol.
Turk Warrior comes up against three with race experience, Champagne Cinders, Fighting Styx and Coeur De Lyon that finished second, third and fourth respectively on debut behind Geegee Lucky Jess in the first 2YO race of the season in Hobart two weeks ago.
Race experience counts for a lot with early two-year-olds but that trio also have to contend with another impressive trial winner in the Scott Brunton-trained Neutralize that won her trial by almost two lengths under a hold in Hobart on November 16.
Neutralize was impressive leading all the way to win her trial, showing brilliant gate speed and she will need to show that again 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 Warrior over 800 metres without being fully extended.
Watch Turk Warrior win a trial in Devonport recently.