Prominent New South Wales trainer Amanda Turnbull will be hoping to add another feature race to her already impressive record this season at Bathurst on Sunday night.
Turnbull will make a two-pronged attack on the Shirley Turnbull Memorial, a now time-honoured race on the state calendar which honours her late grandmother.
Amanda has had a few attempts to win the $50,000 Group 2 feature and it is a race that she is yearning to win.
Turnbull will finish third on the stateās Trainerās Premiership table behind two other female trainers in Belinda McCarthy and KerryAnn Morris and will also be placed third in the Drivers Premiership behind Cameron Hart and Jack Callaghan.
Fresh from training the winner of the Group 3 Red Ochre Classic at Dubbo 10 days ago with Sweet Heaven who was partnered by Isobel Ross, Amanda has both Elmers Image and Bundoran engaged in the Shirley Turnbull and will take the reins behind Bundoran who she admits is her best chance of winning the race.
The son of Lincoln Royal won a heat of the Inter Dominion at Newcastle earlier this month and made the Grand Final where he was not disgraced.
āIt is a race that I always set my better class horses for and this year I feel we have two genuine chances of winning it with either Bundoran or Elmers Image,ā said Amanda.
āBundoran loves to be covered up and saved up for the one run and from gate nine it gives me the chance to do that. If we can get some luck in the last half, he will be hard to hold out.
āHis Inter Dominion heat win was a super effort and overall, he performed well throughout the series, making me very proud of him.
āElmers Image has not drawn all that well out in barrier eight, but he will love the longer trip and if he can find a suitable sit, he is definitely good enough to win the race.ā
āIt has been a big month for our stable and I hope that the success can continue tonight.ā
Sydney based trainer Kevin Pizzuto also has two runners in tonightās Group 2 including pre-post favourite Mach Dan.
He was narrowly beaten in the TAB Inter Dominion Consolation and then came out and won at Tabcorp Park Menangle, rating a fast 1.50.3 and is the horse to beat.