Amanda and Steve Turnbull with one of their three winners McArdles Chance Photo by Courtesy The Daily Advertiser, Wagga
Talented four-year-old Lagoon Stride captured his second feature race at Wagga this year adding the Ian Walsh Memorial to his victory in the Wagga Derby.
Lagoon Stride ($3.30) was the middle leg of a winning treble for Steve and Amanda Turnbull who dominated the early part of Yirribee Stud night on Friday with three of the first five winners.
However, as good as their effort was with three winners and a third from four starters, there were plenty of other highlights.
Trainer Kim Hillier and reinsman David Moran finished with four winners including the Lombo La Fe Fe Stakes with Dark Blue Sapphire ($2.70fav) while Benoah, Annie Jones and Stormsriver were their other winners.
Hillier also landed the quinella in the other $8000 race – the Eric Chapman Memorial – with Benoah and Champion Miss which also carried the bonus of a free service to Yirribee Stud sire Million Dollar Cam.
Dark Blue Sapphire is a newcomer to the stable who was purchased largely due to her breeding potential as a brood mare.
She has quickly put together two wins and as many seconds from her past four starts for the stable.
On top of the first prize money, her owner also received a free service to Lombo Pocket Watch while a free service to Caribbean Blaster was claimed by owner John Starr following the win of McArdles Chance.
Lagoon Stride’s win also carried a free service to Million Dollar Cam for owner Emilio Rosati.
While shorter priced runners won the first five races with the Hillier and Turnbull stables so dominant, three of the final four events were taken by outsiders.
Leading racehorse trainer Trevor Sutherland won again with Willowstwomates at odds of $42.80 following on from her win at $31.70 at Wagga two starts earlier.
Sutherland, who trains more than 50 racehorses and several pacers, was thrilled with the result as he also owns the mare.
“She has been going really well of late,” he said.
“She has kept improving this time in.”
Willostwomates had won only once from 57 starts before find the winning post first in the past month.
Ironically, Sutherland also shares in the ownership of the runner-up, The Queens Portrait, who looked set for victory before the winner swamped her late.
The long priced winners continued when Ellamojo ($60.20) held on to defeat the favourite Good Girl Shirl.
Ellamojo found the lead after 350 metres for driver Nathan Hoy and that proved decisive.
The nine-year-old mare hadn’t won for almost 12 months but has won seven times from 53 outings.
Ellen Bartley, having her first night of race driving, almost had the perfect start with Good Girl Shirl who couldn’t get clear until inside the 200 metres before emerging late.
While Ellamojo’s win was a just reward for her owners’ patience, it was even more satisfying for Junee’s Justin Field with his old warhorse Myrniong Vancealot.