FOR Eglinton horseman Nathan Hurst winning Monday night’s Group Two Shirley Turnbull Memorial at Bathurst’s TAB.COM.AU Carnival of Cups meeting would be a dream come true.
Having grown up in the Western Districts, the 36-year-old has the strongest chance he has ever had to win his local feature race.
His pacer Saloon Passage has been racing in career best form and is the $6.50 second favourite with TAB Fixed Odds for the time-honoured event.
“This is our main top-grade race in the west and it would be great to be able to win it,” Hurst said.
“We’ve had a few runners in the race before over the years but have never gone close.”
Hurst will also be ‘flying the flag’ for the region too as Saloon Passage is just one of two horses in the feature that are trained nearby.
The last local horse to win the Shirley Turnbull Memorial was Slick Bromac in 2009 which was trained and driven by Steve Turnbull, whose late mother is the feature’s namesake.
Since then, however, the McCarthy family have dominated the race having won four of the last five editions.
And tradition could continue as trainer John McCarthy has a three-pronged attack in the race which includes the $2.50 favourite Allblack Stride.
“It’s a pretty strong race, particularly the back-row, but Allblack Stride is the biggest danger,” Hurst said.
“He sat outside of us last week and ran a pretty big race and looks the one to beat again.”
Saloon Passage led at Tabcorp Park Menangle last Saturday night and after racing outside the leader, Allblack Stride won with more than a metre to spare over the pacemaker rating 1:51.1.
For their next clash Allblack Stride has drawn barrier 11 while Saloon Passage will carry the number eight saddlecloth.
“The draw isn’t too bad, we will end up coming out of barrier six with the removal of the two emergencies,” Hurst said.
“We couldn’t be happier with our bloke heading into the race.”
Saloon Passage has not missed a placing in his last five starts.
“He has been racing consistently well in the free-for-all grade,” Hurst said.
“We were rapt with his run in the Treuer Memorial at Bankstown . . . it was one of his best runs of the season.
“He’s matured a lot this preparation.”
The six-year-old has secured 22 wins and 23 placings in 67 starts earning his connections $211,500.
Collectively this field has earned almost $2.6million in prizemoney.
Outside of the two fancies the McCarthy-trained Cyclone Kate and the Michael Langdon-trained Clancys Fobwatch are $8 equal third favourites.
Both pacers are last-star winners at Menangle.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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