Gun jockey says Sir Delius is ready for Turnbull Stakes assignment
Champion jockey Craig Williams has boldly predicted that triple Group 1 winner Sir Delius has the class to dominate Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington in Melbourne, Australia.
Sir Delius won the Group 1 feature last year after jumping from the extreme outside barrier in the 14-horse field and was caught wide early before Williams found a position closer to the rail near the 1300m mark. The son of super sire Frankel, trained by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, straightened up to score by nearly two lengths.
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Williams was not concerned with the former French galloper’s first-up run in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) on September 12 when he finished fourth, beaten nearly four lengths by Sheza Alibi at Flemington.
“His best distance is when he can dominate over 18 (1800m) and beyond, so they had him nice and fresh and fit enough for today,” Williams said after the race on 12 September.
“Nearly the first half of the race was lovely for us, then it changed complexion and we had no favours – we were on a limb in a sit-sprint event, and it doesn’t suit him – but he really powered on and he pulled up nicely.
“I think once he gets out to the distance that we’ve seen his best form that he dominates, then I’m very happy the way his first up run was.”
The six-year-old has won two Group 1s at 2000m, one at 1800m and also a Group 3 at 2000m.
Sir Delius had two races leading up to last year’s Turnbull Stakes compared to this year’s one. The prospect of a rain-affected track shouldn’t worry the entire as he has a perfect record on heavy ground and missed a place only once from seven outings on soft going.
Australia’s biggest trainers Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher dominate the race with five runners each in the 15-horse field, but Waterhouse isn’t concerned that the numbers might be stacked against her.
“You only need the one (bullet) to fire,” she said. “He’s ready to rock ‘n’ roll.”
Aeliana, who finished fifth in the feature last year, is clearly rated the best of Waller’s runners, ahead of Buckaroo and outsiders Asterix, Ohope Wins and Soul Of Spain.
Maher’s five runners – Light Infantry Man, Zahrann, Middle Earth, Saint George and Kings Valley – aren’t expected to feature at the top of the market, but Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull is happy with the contingent.
“Zahrann and Saint George are really good,” Turnbull said. “They both had a gallop this morning (Monday, 28 September). We could not be happier with them. There looks to be a little bit of rain around, so that would be ideal if the track got into that soft range.”
Any hope of a good barrier draw for last year’s Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours was dashed when the six-year-old drew gate 14. He jumped from barrier four in last year’s race when he finished fourth, beaten over two-and-a-half lengths.
Tony McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his son Calvin, said he hopes Half Yours’ performance on Saturday can push him towards the Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) contention, which will be run at Flemington on October 24.
“That’s what we’re hoping and that’s what his work’s telling us,” McEvoy said.
“The Turnbull the fork in the road for him. I don’t want to run him in a Cox Plate if he can’t win a Cox Plate, but if he matches it with them in the Turnbull, he’ll go to the Cox Plate.”
Half Yours has not won since the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) and finished close to five lengths behind Sheza Alibi first-up in the Makybe Diva Stakes, but only three-quarters-of-a-length off Sir Delius. He drew the outside barrier in the field of 10 but returned outstanding closing sectionals.
Former West Australian galloper Cosmic Crusader, trained by Andrea Leek, finished second in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 19 and steps up 2000m for the first time and shapes as another top chance.
