Turn Me Loose’s (NZ) Shining Triumph in the G2 Crystal Mile

Group 1 winning New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale graduate Turn Me Loose’s (NZ) (Iffraaj) bold front running style landed victory in yesterday’s Group 2 A$200,000 Schweppes Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley.

Turn Me Loose (NZ) triumphant in the Group 2 Schweppes Crystal Mile.

Unbeaten over 1600m, Turn Me Loose, the winner of the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas last season, won the Listed Seymour Cup six days earlier for kiwi trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.

Beginning this preparation in New Zealand, Turn Me Loose finished sixth in the Group 1 Hawke’s Bay Makfi Challenge Stakes at Hastings before making the trip to Flemington where he was narrowly defeated by a short head in the Listed Paris Lane Stakes.

Baker indicated the A$1 million Group 1 Emirates Stakes, over 1600m at Flemington, would be the next target for Turn Me Loose.

“We think we’re getting him right now,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of problems with him. We took him to Sydney for the autumn and he got travel sickness. He ran shocking in a trial there and we had to bring him home. But he’s starting to fire now.

“He’s a powerful galloper. He can run those sectionals and it makes it hard to pick him up.”

Getting an early lead, Turn Me Loose was one of the first away, ridden by kiwi jockey Opie Bosson from an inside barrier, and travelled at a strong pace.

Kicking on around the turn for home, Turn Me Loose careered down the straight and proved too strong for the late challenger Bow Creek (Shamardal) who closed in for second as Turn Me Loose won strongly by half-a-length with race-favourite Lucky Hussler (Husson) finishing third.

“There’s no doubt that kiwi jockeys, kiwi trainers and kiwi horses can measure up. They’ve just got to be given the opportunity,” added Baker.

The four-year-old entire has now been the winner of five races, four at stakes level, earning A$523,384 for connections Mr LCR De Souza, Mr TA Hartley, Mr JR Lark, Mr D Painter, Mr PA Vawdrey, Mr SD Brown and Mr JW Robertson.

Todd Hartley purchased Turn Me Loose at the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs for $52,500 from Mana Park.

Bred by George and Maryanne Simon of Mana Park, the son of Iffraaj is out of Danehill mare Indomitable, a three-quarter-sister to six-time winner and stakes placed Martial Art (Tiger Hill). His second dam is Kwan (Sadler’s Wells) who is a blood-sister to Group 1 winner Fairy Heights (Fairy King).

NZB’s Ready to Run Sale has had an exceptional run this month with Turn Me Loose one of four graduates to win stakes races including stablemate Mongolian Khan (Holy Roman Emperor) winning the Group 1 Caulfield Cup. Extra Choice (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) also won in Australia, in the Listed Geelong Classic, while Tyne Cot (NZ) (Keeper) and Dragon Fury (NZ) (Sufficient) were stakes winners in New Zealand and Singapore.

New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale will be held on 18 & 19 November at Karaka. Breeze Up clips are available now on the NZB website or a DVD copy is available by request. To request a Breeze Up DVD or a catalogue email reception@nzb.co.nz.