The race was considered a dead-end contest between the in-form Captains Knock and Swayzee, who were looking to return to the winning list after suffering some setbacks earlier in the season.
And the tactics of Brad Hewitt on Captains Knock and Cameron Hart on Swayzee would play a big role in how the race would go.
DONEGAL LUTHER DEC 26 REPEAT
Ripp showed his usual exciting early speed to find the front. However, Hewitt allowed Captains Knock to move around the field from his wide draw in the second row, with Swayzee following close behind.
But then Captains Knock pressed on and found the lead with just two laps to go. Swayzee was then caught outside the leader, but that is a position in which he has won many races in the past and would have justified his star status. Ripp followed the trail behind the leader.
Donegal Luther who also started from the second row, but his driver Amanda Turnbull stayed behind in the field and let him sit last on the rails. Turnbull stayed on track and when she went to the back on the final night she was still at least 25 meters from the lead. Although he started to gain ground, few thought he would reach the finish line.
The crowd expected an epic battle between Captains Knock, who seemed to travel within himself in the final round, while Swayzee seemed to struggle to keep in touch as Ripp looked for an inside run.
However, Donegal Luther kept up that long run from the back of the field into the final corner and he rallied in Captains Knock in the home straight to take a convincing win by just under five meters, while Swayzee was just a meter behind Captains Knock in third.
Donegal Luther rated 1.56.6 for the 2790m journey, which was outside Swayzee’s record of 1.54.9 when he scored at last year’s Turnbull commemoration. It was by far the striking black gelding’s best victory to date. He is ridden by prolific owner Mick Boots, who expected Swayzee, his other pacer, to triumph that evening.
Despite his loss, Captains Knock is still in contention for the Carnival of Cups bonus, having already won the first two legs in Wagga and Newcastle. He thrives on racing and trainer Brad Hewitt is likely to race his star in the $40,000 Goulburn Cup on January 2 before competing in the third leg of the Carnival of Cup Series at Bathurst with the $60,000 Bathurst Gold Rush Cup on January 30, ahead of the fourth leg of the $60,000 Albury Cup on February 13.
It’s fair to say that the Swayzee of old would have outpaced its rivals, as evidenced by so many feature races in the past. But even though he had lowered his colours, he refused to give in and still tried to land Captains Knock at the finish. Where he turns up next will be of interest to his many admirers.
The time-honored Shirley Turnbull Memorial, a fast class event, has been organized for over thirty years in memory of Shirley, one of the sport’s most respected matriarchs, wife of the late great ‘AD’ Tony Turnbull, and mother of Anne, Steve, Therese, Craig, Cindy and the late Greg Turnbull, all of whom excelled in running racing at the highest level.
It was therefore fitting that Steve’s daughter Amanda took part in this special race for the Turnbulls. Amanda was the leading female racer in New South Wales, winning 2571 races, including 14 Group 1 events. She showed great resilience when returning after a nasty training accident earlier this year.
It turned out to be a big night for Amanda as two races later she recorded a double when Scruffy (Bettors Delight), trained by Chris Frisby and also ridden by Mick Boots, took victory in the final pass over Lettuce Go Miki in the XXXX Gold Pace.
By Tony Milanese for Harnesslink
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