Turn It Up poised for Newcastle Mile tilt

17 February 2021 | Jordan Gerrans
Logo

Driver Shane Graham has been buoyed by Tuesday morning’s positive barrier draw for Turn It Up ahead of Friday evening’s Group 1 Newcastle Mile.

The sport’s pin-up pacer Lochinvar Art - rated a $1.40 chance to take out the feature event with the TAB - drew poorly in 10 on Tuesday morning while Turn It Up will come from seven.

Regular driver of Turn It Up, Graham, is not getting ahead of himself following the favourable draw but says it will certainly help.

Lochinvar Art has an imposing record leading towards Friday’s Newcastle Mile, winning 27 career races from 49 starts, with $1,083,456 in the bank for connections.

“The main thing was drawing inside of Lochinvar Art and that has happened, that is a plus,” Graham said.

“It is still going to be a bloody hard race.

“If we had been drawn outside of him, you would be deflated but at least he has drawn in the middle.

“He has come up with a good draw, being inside Lochinvar Art.”

Victorian driver and trainer of Lochinvar Art, David Moran, says the draw was not ideal but will press ahead with their initial plans.

“It is not the best draw, but we have had a bit of luck with draws of late in other races so we cannot really complain,” Moran said.

“He travelled up well with the grand final in a couple of weeks times.

“Fitness will not be the issue, neither will back to the shorter distance – it will be the barrier draw and he will have to be good.

“Turn It Up has been going really well and so has a couple of others.

“I am sure he will run a good race and be better again in a fortnight's time.”

The Turn It Up team have recently made their way to NSW following his last effort in the Sunshine State, blowing away rival Colt Thirty One at Albion Park earlier this month.

It was an impressive performance on that evening that even had Graham shocked at how well he won, getting home four-and-a-half metres, leading towards the feature southern races.

“I did not expect him to be able to do that, he took me by surprise,” Graham said.

“When you go away as we have done after that race, it gives you a fair bit of confidence.

“It makes you think you are doing the right thing with the horse, for sure.”

The former Auckland Cup champion and multiple Group 1 winner is enjoying his southern experience so far, Graham says.

“He seems good and has settled in well down here,” he said.

“He is happy with him self and everything, it is all going well, touch wood.”

Graham and trainer Vicki Rasmussen will get through Friday’s Newcastle Mile with Turn It Up before looking towards the $1 million Miracle Mile at Menangle on the first Saturday of March.

As of Tuesday morning, Turn It Up is rated a $4.20 chance to upset Lochinvar Art in Friday’s Newcastle Mile.

 

Related News

29 March 2024
Gibson family honoured in more ways than one at Bathurst Carnival
SINCE the inception of the Bathurst Gold Crown in 1987, the Gibson family and their Success Stud have positively contributed to shaping the hugely-successful juvenile carnival. Originally based in Queensland before relocating to the idyllic Young region, the late John Gibson initially operated Success...
29 March 2024
Group 1 mares add star power to Riverina Championships
Four Group 1 winning mares - including two currently considered to be among the nation’s best - will clash in an intriguing battle at the Riverina Championships finals program at Wagga on Sunday. The meeting features two $100,000 finals for four and five year-old pacers - one each for the boys...
29 March 2024
Ford looking for Gold on Good Friday
The combined harness and greyhound meeting on Good Friday night in Hobart is fast becoming a Tassie racing tradition, and it’s back again with eight greyhound races and six harness events making up this year’s 14-race program. Driver Dylan Ford will be out to continue his excellent start...
28 March 2024
New HRV chair Adam Kilgour on challenges, opportunities
Newly appointed Harness Racing Victoria chair Adam Kilgour says his passion for a challenge and the people in racing drives his desire to strengthen the industry. Kilgour was yesterday announced to replace Dale Monteith as the head of the board, on which he has served since 2018, and said he was eager...
28 March 2024
La sun of a gun emerges as Blackbook zeros in on breeding line
La Machane won 20 of her 61 starts and more than $330,000 for connections in Ross and Greg Sugars' care and the mare's making just as big an impression in the breeding barn. Having given us La Puddie ($137,179) and La Captain ($182,020), the Bettors Delight mare has another nice type in Benbullan, who...
Click for more