Turnbull Stakes

The Turnbull Stakes was first run in 1948, and it was named in honour of the incumbent VRC Chairman, Mr. Richard Turnbull.

It had its beginnings as a 12 furlong race until 1970, and it changed to a 10 furlong race the next year. By 1972, the Turnbull Stakes was a 2000m event, when Australian Racing went "metric" at the start of the 1972-73 season. Up until 1963 it was a handicap event, and WFA conditions were applied from 1964-70. Since then, the Turnbull Stakes has been a Set Weight & Penalties race.

Notable winners of the race include Beau Gem (1948), Comic Court (1949 & 50), Rising Fast (1954), Redcraze (1955), Craftsman (1965), Tobin Bronze (1966), Galilee (1968), Leilani (1974), Dulcify (1979), Vo Rogue (1987 & 88), Super Impose (1989), Better Loosen Up (1990), Let's Elope (1991), Naturalism (1992), Doriemus (1996), Sky Heights (1999), Sunline (2000), Northerly (2002) and Elvstroem (2004).

Despite the Turnbull Stakes' penchant for attracting a top quality field over a prolonged period, the race was only ever afforded Group 2 status at best. After the great Makybe Diva won the 2005 Turnbull Stakes, defeating a top class field, the Australian Pattern Committee had no option but to nominate it as a Group 1 event for 2006, and this recommendation was endorsed by the Australian Racing Board.

The Turnbull Stakes is an excellent race in its own right. While it does precede both Cups, and the Cox Plate, it should not be viewed as a preparatory race. With prizemoney of $AUD500,000 plus trophies valued at $2,500 it is a race that is months in the planning for the connections of the nation’s best middle distance horses.

YearWinnerJockeyTrainer2nd3rd
2009 Efficient Nicholas Hall John Sadler Predatory Pricer Scenic Shot
2008 Littorio Steven King Nigel Blackiston Master O'Reilly Zipping
2007 Devil Moon Corey Brown Mark Kavanagh Scenic Shot Haradasun
2006 Sphenophyta Danny Nikolic Lee Freedman Our Smoking Joe Aqua D'Amore = 3
Serenade Rose = 3
2005 Makybe Diva Steven King Lee Freedman Lad of the Manor Confectioner
2004 Elvstroem Nash Rawiller Tony Vasil Mummify Confectioner
2003 Studebaker Stephen Baster John Hawkes Pentastic Strasbourg
2002 Northerly Greg Childs Fred Kersley Dash For Cash Fields Of Omagh
2001 Sunline Greg Childs Trevor McKee Universal Prince Primrose Sands
2000 Fairway Darren Beadman Greg Childs Sunline Diatribe
1999 Sky Heights Damien Oliver Colin Alderson Ruy Lopez Inaflury
1998 Aerosmith Greg Childs Peter Hurdle Gold Guru Our Unicorn
1997 Marble Halls Damien Oliver Lee Freedman Beaux Art Cheviot
1996 Doriemus Greg Hall Lee Freedman Always Aloof Seascay
1995 All Our Mob Wayne Harris Gai Waterhouse Doriemus Sir Kinghi
1994 Redding Danny Brereton Gavin Kelly Paris Lane Tristalove
1993 The Phantom Chance Robbie Vance Colin Jillings Naturalism Kiwi Golfer
1992 Naturalism Simon Marshall Lee Freedman London Bridge Mr Eurostar
1991 Let's Elope Steven King Bart Cummings Prince Salieri Renteeno
1990 Better Loosen Up Michael Clarke David Hayes Royal Creation Shuzohra
1989 Super Impose Darren Gauci Lee Freedman Research Sydeston
1988 Vo Rogue Cyril Small Vic Rail Apollo Run Ebeli Show
1987 Vo Rogue Cyril Small Vic Rail Fair Sir King Of Brooklyn
1986 Just Now Harry White Jim Atkins Pharostan Cimarra
1985 Lacka Reason G. Willetts Ms M. Bull Our Sophia Glen Mosiron
1984 Al Dwain R. J. Skelton T. G. Autridge Alibhai Beechcraft
1983 Chez Nous M. Clarke C. S. Hayes La Cocotte Malvita
1982 Birchwood H. White B. W. Elkington Fearless Pride Prince Majestic
1981 No Peer H. White J. B. Cummings Deck The Halls Saxon Slew
1980 Amarla M. Baker A. L. Browell Polo Player My Brown Jug
1979 Dulcify B. Thomson C. S. Hayes Karaman Kankama
1978 Lefroy H. White G. T. Murphy So Called Paignton
1977 Salamander E. J. Didham T. J. Hughes Unaware Major Till
1976 Denise's Joy R. Higgins T. J. Smith Balmerino Better Draw
1975 Analight P. Trotter C. Beechey Vicki's Son Taras Bulba
1974 Leilani R. Higgins J. B. Cummings Herminia Isomonia
1973 Australasia R. Mallyon C. Beechey Dayana Gala Supreme
1972 Sharif B. Gilders D. Judd Gossiper Haarle
1971 Igloo E. J. Didham A. E. Didham Double Irish Jan's Beau
1970 Arctic Symbol P. Hyland J. J. Moloney Crewman Cyron
1969 Fileur J. J. Miller C. S. Hayes Rain Lover General Command
1968 Galilee R. Higgins J. B. Cummings Galena Palatial
1967 Stellar Belle G. Lane I. J. Tucker Terrific Sunhaven
1966 Tobin Bronze J. Johnson H. G. Heagney Terrific Future
1965 Craftsman P. Hyland A. R. White Light Fingers Royal Duty
1964 Sir Dane R. Higgins R. J. Shaw Royal Duty Havelock
1963 Sometime W. Pyers W. Pyers Prince Ming Tatua
1962 Aquanita F. Moore R. J. Shaw Grand Print The Dip
1961 Blue Lodge C. McLauchlan D. McInnes Dhaulagiri Aquanita
1960 Aircraft W. Williamson P. G. Wadham Joss Sticks Nilarco
1959 Mac F. Treen A. I. Munro Dawdie Malarno
1958 Pandie Sun R. Hutchinson C. S. Hayes Pushover Highfire
1957 Syntax W. Williamson F. W. Hoysted Sailor's Guide Beaumine
1956 Pushover N. Powell J. P. Lewis Ark Royal Lady Chloe
1955 Redcraze V. J. Sellars S.A. Brown Rising Fast Ribera
1954 Rising Fast W. Williamson I. J. Tucker Cromis Surprise Ending
1953 Petrograd S. Ralph J. P. Mulcahy Quiet Talk Welloch
1952 Aldershot W. Stocker A. Macdonald Bronton Morse Code
1951 Morse Code R. Heather L. Robertson Jovial Lad Iron Duke
1950 Comic Court J. Purtell J. M. Cummings Iron Duke Spellman
1949 Comic Court J. Purtell J. M. Cummings Nilam Ninnid
1948 Beau Gem R. Heather G. Jesser Lungi Anthelion

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