Written by Bren O'Brien
Cover image courtesy of Magic Millions
Unbeaten Tasmanian star 2-year-old Turk Warrior (Outreach) will head to the paddock after his latest emphatic success in the Magic Millions Tasmanian 2YO Classic at Launceston.
Having won his three previous starts by 3l, 1.75l and 3.5l, Turk Warrior made it another one-act affair, banking the $48,750 first prizemoney in a 3.5l romp.
It wasn't the prettiest ride from Ismail Toker, who tracked three wide throughout in the small field but his decision to avoid any traffic proved the right one as Turk Warrior surged clear at the top of the straight and won running away from debutant Power Magnum (Magnus), with Gee Gee Enuff Speed (Rich Enuff) in third.
Trainer Glenn Stevenson said after the race that the gelding had earned a spell after a busy 2-year-old campaign that also included victories in the Listed Elwick S. and the Listed Gold Sovereign S.
"I’ll be honest. I felt he was a bit over the top the past couple of days. The last couple of days, he didn’t feel at his best on the beach and he has probably done that on class," Stevenson said.
"That's it for him now. He'll have a nice little rest and we will see what comes forward."
Stevenson confirmed that interest to buy Turk Warrior had intensified and the connections would consider their options now his 2-year-old campaign was done.
"There is certainly interest there and we put all that on hold. You have to get all the x-rays and that sorted, so we said, we’ll come here first on Sunday and then you can talk on our terms," he said.
Toker had ridden Turk Warrior in all four of his starts and has formed a strong association with the promising gelding.
"He just jumped half off, but then he travelled beautifully into the race. I came out on him and he was strong. He's very professional and he improves every time I ride him," he said.
Bred by Grenville Stud, Turk Warrior is the sole stakes winner to date for Widden Stud stallion Outreach. His dam, Ehor (Val Royal {Fr}) also won the same two stakes races her son has when she was a 2-year-old back in 2007.
Her yearling colt by Zululand is catalogued as Lot 106 on Monday's Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale.
The $65,000 Magic Millions 3YO Classic was taken out by the Bill Ryan-trained Take The Sit (Tough Speed).
Stakes goal reached for Chequerboard
Meanwhile, a Tasmanian visit for Lindsay Park-trained filly Chequerboard (Fastnet Rock) got the desired result when the well-bred filly secured the Listed Tasmanian Oaks and the valuable black type that goes with it.
Chequerboard, who was beaten into second in the recent Listed Strutt S. on Hobart, proved too classy for Queen Adele (Adelaide {Ire}) and My Squeeze Louise (NZ) (Mongolian Khan).
Lindsay Park representative Gary Fennessy was rapt that the plan had worked out.
"She's been over here the whole time, and thanks to Adam Trinder for putting up with us for a couple of weeks and thankfully everything has worked out fine," he said.
"She’ll head back to Melbourne now and Ben and Tom will work out whether she heads to Adelaide of Sydney."
Chequerboard is the second Fastnet Rock filly trained by Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes this weekend who has secured stakes success in the Coolmore colours, after Parure's win in the G2 Autumn Classic at Caulfield on Saturday.
Chequerboard as a yearling
