Iffraaj’s Turn Me Loose Wins the Emirates

New Zealand-based conditioner Murray Baker is no stranger to Group 1 success in Australia, his success stories including Dundeel (NZ) (High Chapparal {Ire}) and this year’s G1 Australian Derby and G1 Caulfield Cup scorer Mongolian Khan (NZ) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), and Baker was at it again Saturday at Flemington, scooping another big Aussie prize with last year’s G1 NZ 2000 Guineas winner Turn Me Loose. The bay was off for nearly 10 months following that Classic score, and returned to the races with a sixth-place finish in the G1 Makfi Challenge S. Aug. 29. Crossing the Tasman thereafter, Turn Me Loose finished second in his Australian debut in Flemington’s Listed Paris Lane S. Oct. 4, and won the Listed Darley Seymour Cup two weeks later over this trip. He backed up once again just a week after that to add the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley under regular rider Opie Bosson, and had Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle for the first time Saturday while Bosson sat out on suspension. One of the first out of the gates from his middle draw, Turn Me Loose quickly took up the lead and set the tempo under a hard hold from McEvoy. The first challenger to confront Turn Me Loose in the straight was Lucky Hussler and, after a brief battle, the game frontrunner put that rival away approaching the 100 meter mark before seeing off a handful of fast finishers including last Saturday’s G1 Myer S. winner Politeness. “I rode him for the first time on Thursday and he’s just a big, bold going Kiwi that likes to get out and running,” McEvoy told Breednet.com.au. “He gave a great kick and was just too strong for them.” Baker told that site, “He’s a good, tough horse that can run fast sectionals, which makes it hard for those behind to run him down.” Baker also said Turn Me Loose could travel to Hong Kong for the G1 Hong Kong Mile Dec. 13.

Saturday, Flemington, Australia
EMIRATES S.-G1, A$1,005,000, VRC, 11-7, Open Quality, 1600mT, 1:36.26, Soft.
1–TURN ME LOOSE (NZ), 56.5, c, 4, by Iffraaj (GB)
1st Dam: Indomitable (NZ), by Danehill (USA)
2nd Dam: Kwan (IRE), by Sadler’s Wells (USA)
3rd Dam: Commanche Belle (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
(NZ$52,500 2YO 2013 NZB Ready to Run Sale) O-S Brown, L De
Souza, T Hartley, J Lark, D Painter, J Robinson & P Vawdrey;
B-G W & Mrs M W Simon, Waikato, NZ; T-M P Baker; J-K Mc
Evoy; A$605,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-NZ, 11-6-3-1,
A$1,128,384. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]
2–Politeness, 53.0, m, 5, Street Sense (USA)–Berengaria, by
Commands. (A$115,000 Ylg 2012 WI Sydney Easter Yearling
Sale) O-P S Sly & K Yoshida; B-Miss AO Raymond NSW; T-R W
Smerdon; J-C Newitt; A$180,000.
3–Rock Sturdy, 52.5, h , 5, Fastnet Rock–Tzu Hsi, by Quest for
Fame (GB). O-Gooree Pastoral Company (Mgr: A J Baddock);
B-Gooree Park Stud Pty Ltd NSW; T-Joseph Pride; J-D
Tourneur; A$90,000.
Margins: 0.2 len, 0.5 len, 1.3 len. Odds: 8.00, 9.00, 30.00
Also Ran: Magic Artist (IRE), He or She, Lucky Hussler, Coronation Shallan, Disposition, Ecuador (NZ), Amovatio, May’s Dream, Bow Creek (IRE), Sons of John, Arod (IRE), Moriarty (IRE). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.