Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
G2 DCE Alister Clark S., $750,000, 2040m
Prix De Turn (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) landed an upset victory in the G2 Alister Clark S. at Moonee Valley on Friday night.
In what was a marquee result for young trainer Matthew Brown, Prix De Turn finished too strongly after a clever ride from Beau Mertens, edging out Can't Go Wong (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) by 1.25l, with War Eternal (NZ) (Pierro) grinding home for third another 0.5l adrift.
It was Prix De Turn's second win from seven starts, but he has been campaigned in top company for much of his short career.
Brown's faith in the son of Turn Me Loose (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) was vindicated with victory in the rich $750,000 event.
Bred in partnership by Steve Till and Windsor Park Stud, Prix De Turn was passed in through the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale before being purchased by Brown for $47,500 at the 2020 Inglis Ready2Race Sale, where he was offered by Ohukia Lodge.
His dam, Prix Du Sang (Red Ransom {USA}) was placed in a Group 3 race and was fourth in the G1 Queensland Derby. She has produced three winners and foaled a Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) filly last year before visiting Tivaci (High Chaparral {Ire}).
He is the fifth stakes winner, and third in a week, for Windsor Park resident Turn Me Loose.
Listed Entry Education Abell S., $160,000, 1200m
Progressive sprinter In The Boat (Nostradamus) took his winning record to six from 10 starts and broke through for his first stakes win in the process with a comfortable all-the-way success in the Listed Abell S. at Moonee Valley.
The Lindsey Smith-trained 4-year-old, who started his career out in Western Australia, jumped to the front and never really looked threatened, easing to a 1l victory over Regardsmaree (So You Think {NZ}), with Katalin (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) in third.
He is the second stakes winner for Rosemont Stud stallion Nostradamus (Medaglia D'Oro {USA}) and is the only winner from Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) mare Almost Crystal, who hails from the same family as multiple Group 1 winner Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo {Ire}). In The Boat's fourth dam is the star Group 1-winning mare Habibti (Ire) (Habitat {USA}).
In The Boat was bred by Darren Weir and was sold privately as a younger horse to an ownership that includes Gerry Ryan. Almost Crystal has a yearling filly by Artie Schiller (USA) (El Prado {Ire}) and visited Star Witness (Starcraft {NZ}) last year.
