Turnbull Stakes Tips - Young Werther to trouble some of the bigger names in the Turnbull Stakes

It is a couple of last start winners in Buckaroo and Eliyass that are vying for favouritism alongside Via Sistina. That trio come out of separate races. 

Buckaroo was a tearaway winner of the Underwood Stakes (1800m), defeating a number of the rivals he meets in this race, including Huetor (2nd), Duke De Sessa (4th) and Place Du Carrousel (8th). 

Buckaroo settled midfield before bursting from the pack to win by more than three lengths, going a healthy 16 lengths faster than standard benchmark. Hard to see the beaten brigade turning the tables on the six-year-old. Huetor produced the fastest last 200m and might be one to watch if we get to Soft or worse. Showers are forecast in Melbourne on Friday and Saturday. 

Place Du Carrousel was supported to start as a $3.80 favourite but pulled up with issues in what was a bit of a forget run. Having said that, I am willing to risk the Freedman import. 

Eliyass is a Waterhouse/Bott import that has won nine of 11 starts, including his last five. The three most recent wins have come in Australia and he settled handy in the Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwik on September 21, going 12.6 lengths faster than standard. He looks the real deal and has the early speed to negotiate barrier 16. 

Via Sistina was an impressive first up winner in the Winx Stakes (1400m) in Sydney before battling on a Heavy deck in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington when 5th, beaten more than six lengths by Mr Brightside. No Mr Brightside or Pride Of Jenni in this race and her best has been over the 2000m and beyond. Warmonger was 4th in that race, producing the fastest last 200m. The 10-length winner of the Queensland Derby (2400m), will love the extra 400m in distance. 

Atishu and Young Werther are others in the market. Atishu has an excellent record over the 2000m at Flemington and can improve after running 6th in the Makybe Diva. 

Young Werther is a bit hit and miss but comes in with the best last start benchmark figures of any runner, having gone 18 lengths faster than standard benchmark when winning at Caulfield recently. He was solid earlier this year in the Australian Cup Prelude (1800m) before struggling behind Cascadian in the Australian Cup (2000m)

Happy to be with Young Werther each-way all day in the Turnbull Stakes. The Danny O’Brien-trained galloper does tend to mix his form but tends to produce some of his best for the track and trip, while he comes off a strong win at Caulfield over the 2000m when fresh off a nine-week break on August 31. That came over the 2000m and he settled outside the leader before taking over with 200m to go and holding off the challengers. He was a dominant winner in the Australian Cup Prelude (1800m) in the autumn off a similar pattern before finding the hot pace that was set by Pride Of Jenni against him in the Australian Cup (2000m). But other runs over the 2000m here have been full of merit and he draws to enjoy a perfect run from barrier 2. 

Huetor was the eye-catcher in the Underwood Stakes and is one to consider at the price and out to the 2000m. He produced the fastest last 200m in the Underwood and should enjoy an even tempo in this race. The Peter Snowden-trained galloper was a 12-length improver on benchmark figures second up in the autumn when scoring at Randwick on a Heavy track in the JRA Plate, while there was nothing wrong with his performance at Flemington last year when 7th in the Champions Stakes (2000m), beaten three lengths, working home strongly. A track on the Slow or worse side will suit.