Karaka Clean Sweep in Alister Clark

A breakthrough performance by Prix De Turn (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) was the headline act in a clean sweep by Karaka graduates in Friday’s Group Two DCE Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley, which this year had a major stake increase to A$750,000. 

Offered at Karaka 2020 with a reserve of $50,000, the Matthew Brown-trained Prix De Turn has now earned A$556,900 in a seven-start, two-win career. Runner-up Can’t Go Wong (NZ) (Per Incanto) was a $70,000 purchase from the 2020 Ready to Run Sale and has earned A$196,500, while third-placed War Eternal (NZ) (Pierro) has returned A$329,850 in stakes from a $160,000 purchase price at Karaka 2020.

Brown has always held Prix De Turn in the highest regard, lining the colt up in the Group One Caulfield Guineas (1600m) as a maiden in his second career start last October and finishing a creditable seventh.

Unplaced in the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) earlier this month, Prix De Turn excelled around Moonee Valley on Friday night with an unstoppable front-running performance. Sent straight to the lead by jockey Beau Mertens, he kept himself well out of reach of the chasers and dashed to an impressive victory by a length and a quarter.

“It’s petty surreal – it hasn’t quite sunk in, to be honest,” Brown said. “He’s been perfect all prep, and it was tempting to go to the Rosehill Guineas (Group One, 2000m), but I stuck to my gut to start here.

“He probably raced a little flat last start with the quick back-up, but his win at Sandown in his previous start indicated that he warranted a start in the Australian Guineas. He bounced through that race, and I could not have been any happier coming here.

“I copped a lot of flak running this horse in races people thought he could not win. I thought he could be more than competitive in those races, and the only two times he has drawn a barrier, he has won both.

“I always thought he was a proper horse. He has had a few colty moments, but we have worked hard to keep his mind on the job.

“To get a feature win like this with a colt is so exciting, and a lot of the boys that are in him raced Turn Me Loose as well, so to have one of his progeny win a big feature is pretty exciting.”

Prix De Turn’s big performance continued a dream run for Windsor Park Stud stallion Turn Me Loose (NZ), who has recently sired the Group One Sistema Stakes (1200m) winner Lickety Split (NZ), Group Three Matamata Slipper (1200m) winner Alabama Gold (NZ), and Listed Morphettville Guineas (1600m) winner Ancient Girl (NZ). Himself a multiple Group One winner purchased at Karaka, Turn Me Loose’s oldest progeny are three-year-olds.