Turnbull team headline Cobram Cup with rising star

A postponed Cobram Cup card has seen the favourites take out the pacing and the trotting features on a wet Monday afternoon.

The meeting was originally scheduled for Sunday (Jan 5) but was re-scheduled due to the extreme heat in the area.

The Jim Phillips Memorial Cobram Pacing Cup was the main feature on the card with the Craig Turnbull-prepared Sirlou starting a $1.12 favourite with Abbey Turnbull taking the drive.

The four-year-old was looking to stretch his unbeaten start to his career out to four, adding to wins at Shepparton and the Riverina in December and November of 2024.

The gelding drew three and was forced to sit parked for the majority of the 2170m trip after the David Moran trained-and-driven On The Hunt ($26.00) flew the arm from the widest draw on the front row (seven) to lead heading into the first turn.

After a final quarter of 28.9, Turnbull gave the gelding a shake upon straightening to dash clear of the Moran-prepared charge to win by 3.6m in a time of 1.59.9.

Trainer Craig Turnbull was impressed with the gelding’s ability, but admits there is still work to be done.

“It was a bit different for him having to sit outside the leader,” Turnbull said. “He done it really well, Abbey (Turnbull) had to keep him balanced on the turn, he is not 100 per cent on the turns, but we thought he cornered pretty good.

“I loved the way he finished off and we were wrapped with him.”

The trotting feature on the card was the Central Murray Credit Union Cobram Trotters Cup under standing-start conditions.

A slow step away saw the Stephen Boyington trained-and-driven Kings Guard ($2.50) drop to the back-of-the-field heading out of the straight for the first time.

The Chris Svanosio-trained Hephaestus Phoenix was allowed to lead and dictate proceedings at the bell. Boyington’s charge made ground to sit parked down the back straight for the final time after being almost 30m behind the leader through the early stages of the 2678m trip.

Boyington rallied the winner of eight races from 25 starts to let down late and skip away from the rest of the field to score by 8.5m in a time of 2.05.5.

Boyington, 62, had his doubt after a quick early tempo.

“I was a little bit worried when Chris (Svanosio) went to the front. I thought he would be very hard to beat,” Boyington said.

“He is a more a sit sprinter and thought if I could edge up there, we might run second and he felt really strong at the 500m, so my confidence levels lifted.”

by Lachlan Mitchell, for Harness Racing Victoria