Shepparton trainer-driver Amanda Turnbull holds the key to one of the feature finals on New Year’s Night at Leeton after opening the harness racing carnival with a winning treble.
Leeton’s Christmas carnival kicked off on Tuesday night and for the first time was missing their flagship race, the MIA Breeders Plate.
The $40,000 Plate final will be run on January 26, instead of January 1, due to changes to the rules surrounding two-year-old racing.
The Turnbull stable dominated the opening night of the Leeton carnival with three wins, two of which came in the heats of the Milbrae Quarries C1-C2 Series.
Lisa Bartley steered Benji Mara ($1.30) and Kenrick ($1.20) to dominant victories in the first and third heats. Turnbull’s treble was completed when Aintnobetter ($2.50) scored on debut in the final event on the night.
Turnbull, who was competing at Bathurst on the night, was pleased to see Benji Mara and Kenrick win and qualify for the $14,000 finals on January 1.
“They done a good job,” Turnbull said.
“They both had tricky draws so they went good.”
Benji Mara started from the second row but raced away for an eight-metre victory in a blistering mile rate of 1:57.1.
Kenrick overcame the outside of the second row and did a power of work to win by two metres in 1:59.1.
Turnbull believes Kenrick is the better of her two prospects in the final, pending the barrier draw.
“Probably Kenrick. He went for a good spell and has come back pretty well from that,” she said.
“The other fella went awesome and in good time.”
While Kenrick could have hardly been more impressive in his part two wins, Turnbull stopped short of labelling him bulletproof ahead of the final.
“It depends where (Benji Mara) draws,” she said.
“If he can beat him to the death, and then Kenrick will have to do it pretty tough.”
Coleambally reinsman Blake Jones drove the other two heat winners, Anakena ($2.00) for Ellen Bartley and Eastbro Lucky ($2.60) for Shane Hillier.
Three heats of the Golden Apple Super Store C0 Series were also conducted with wins going to Two Real ($16.00), Roll One Over ($17.60) and Untythehood ($1.30).
There was a fall in the last but Leeton driver Ben Matthews managed to escape serious injury after Karlos shifted out sharply near the gate and cannoned into the fence.
Meantime, Junee Harness Racing Club’s Christmas meeting last Saturday was also a success with a good crowd turning out.
Michael and Melissa Hawke took honours with a winning double, courtesy of Never Been Said ($30.50) and Barkway Bill ($3.90).