A wet winter played havoc with Turn Me Loose's spring preparation and led to a contracted campaign of just the Gr.2 Schillaci Stakes and Gr.1 Darley Classic in Melbourne over distances short of his best.
However, Cambridge trainer Murray Baker couldn't have been more upbeat in
assessing his stable star."He's going as well as he's ever gone," Baker said.
"He'll trial at Cambridge on January 10 and then he'll possibly go to Australia, though we're undecided yet because he's still in the Telegraph."
A more likely alternative to the Telegraph for Turn Me Loose's first-up run is the Gr.2 Australian Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on January 27, which provides fortnight intervals into the Gr.1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 11 and the Futurity Stakes (1400m) at the same track on February 25.
"He ran well in both those races last year and we think he'll go just as well this time around," said Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman.
Turn Me Loose was named champion sprint and champion middle distance horse at last season's New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Awards and was a finalist for horse of the year in Victoria, having also won the Seymour Cup, Gr.2 Crystal Mile and Gr.1 Emirates Stakes in successive starts earlier in the season.
Also a winner of the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, Turn Me Loose has won seven of his 17 starts for earnings of almost $1.6 million. - NZ Racing Desk
