Small win most satisfying for champion trainer

Atomic Red’s (Rocknroll Hanover) victory at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday (Jun.4) night might not rate among the biggest or most prestigious harness racing wins in the training career of Steve Turnbull but for the champion mentor, it would be up there with the most satisfying.

Earlier in his racing career, the now eight-year-old was a star juvenile, running second in an APG Final and going on to reach open class, competing in the 2019 Auckland Inter Dominion series.

But in late 2020, the gelding’s fortunes plummeted after he was struck down with a serious hoof injury that almost claimed his life.

For the team at Radiant Lodge and owner Rob Davis, the setback was a bitter pill to swallow, as at the time, Atomic Red was racing at the top of his game.

“I have had a great deal of success with Atomic Red’s owner Rob Davis over the years and I was confident that this fellow was heading to the top shelf when he got hurt,” said Turnbull.

“He may not be the best horse that I have trained, but he is one of the toughest and he proved this by not only getting back to the track after 18 months on the sideline but also by winning in metropolitan grade.

“He lacks high speed and is more of a dour type and his wide draws of late have come against him.

“But when he found the lead on Saturday night, I was confident that he was going to be hard to run down and Isobel (Ross) handled him well.”

ATOMIC RED REPLAY

Turnbull is within six of achieving an incredible milestone of training 4000 winners, a score that only the greats of the sport have reached.

“I am not focusing on the goal even though it would be pretty special,” said Turnbull.

“It will be business as usual for me, preparing my horses for the races and if or when it comes around, no doubt it will be something worth celebrating.

“All that I have done has been for my family.

“Without them, I would not have trained such a vast number of winners, so the praise has to be shared among them.”

Turnbull will head to his home track of Bathurst on Wednesday with 10 runners, in search of more success.

The master trainer has four horses engaged in Race 5 with diminutive pacer Myra Dawn being the most fancied of them.

For complete race fields, click here.

by Michael Dumesny, for HRNSW