Turn Me Loose To Make Australian Debut In Hobartville Stakes

New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner Turn Me Loose is set to make his Australian racing debut in the 2015 Hobartville Stakes at Rosehill Gardens on February 21.

Murray Baker will bring Turn Me Loose to Australia for the 2015 Royal Randwick Guineas. Photo by: Steve Hart

Murray Baker will bring Turn Me Loose to Australia for the 2015 Royal Randwick Guineas. Photo by: Steve Hart

Turn Me Loose made his racing debut under the care of Murray Baker in a maiden at Te Rapa on April 26 last year and he scored his maiden race win when he led all the way to take out the New Zealand Bloodstock Pearl (1200m) at New Plymouth in impressive fashion on May 10.

The Iffraaj colt made it two wins in a row when he took out the Hawke’s Bay Guineas Prelude (1200m) at Hastings on August 30 and he scored his maiden win at black type level when he defeated Prince Mambo to take out the Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at the same venue on October 4.

Turn Me Loose suffered just his second defeat of his career when he missed the start before running on strongly for third in the Group 3 James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa on October 27, but he returned to his best form when he scored a dominant win over a talented field in the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton Park on November 8.

Co-trained Andrew Forsman told The Informant that Turn Me Loose is set to race exclusively in Australia this preparation and will leave New Zealand this weekend ahead of the Hobartville Stakes and the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 7.

“He’s coming along really well,” Forsman said.

“He flies to Aussie on Saturday and will trial in Sydney on either Monday or Tuesday.”

The past four winners of the New Zealand 2000 Guineas have gone on to race in Australia and the majority have had some success when they have crossed the Tasman.

Jimmy Choux took out the 2010 edition of the New Zealand 2000 Guineas and he made his Australian racing debut with a win in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) in 2011 before he finished a close second in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) and fourth in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (1600m).

Rock ‘N’ Pop won the 2011 New Zealand 2000 Guineas in impressive fashion, but he was unable to replicate that form in three race starts in Australia and he was retired after finishing sixth in the 2013 edition of the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m).

Sacred Falls was transferred to the Chris Waller stable after he took out the 2012 New Zealand 2000 Guineas and he made his slow start to his career in Australia before he scored an upset win in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) and he went on to defend that title a year later.

Last year Murray Baker brought Atlante to Australia after he took out the New Zealand 2000 Guineas, but the Fastnet Rock entire was hampered by wet tracks throughout his autumn campaign before he recorded a maiden Australian race win in the Listed Drummond Golf Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 6.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.