Turnbull Stakes

THE Turnbull Stakes is run in early October and is one of the main races that sets the scene ahead of Melbourne’s spring.

The Turnbull Stakes is considered one of the most important races of the Spring Carnival. It is a major lead-up race into the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup and past winners of the race have gone on to win the biggest race in Australia.

Makybe Diva, Efficient and Green Moon took out this race en route to Melbourne Cup wins while Winx recorded a win in the race before winning a third-straight Cox Plate.

2021 Turnbull Stakes Odds

Following his win in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes, the Peter Moody-trained Incentivise is a $2.70 favourite for the 2021 Turnbull Stakes.

Group 1 winners so far this spring Verry Elleegant ($4.40) and Mo’unga ($8) looks to be his main rivals, with the NSW runners expected to run a bold race as usual in the Turnbull.

Colette, Sir Dragonet and Delphi head the remainder of the market.

2020 Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet is a $10 chance with online bookmakers.

Best bookmakers for the Turnbull Stakes

The Turnbull Stakes is one of the key Group 1 races leading into the big three of the Melbourne spring and the bookmakers treat the event with the respect it is due.

Turnbull Stakes odds are up at least a month in advance of the race date and any bookmaker that doesn’t have a market framed by then isn’t worth your cash.

Sport Table

Turnbull Stakes race history

The Turnbull Stakes was promoted to Group 1 level after champion mare Makybe Diva won in 2005 — the same year it won the Cox Plate and her third Melbourne Cup.

The 2000m race is for four-year-olds and over at set weights and after being first raced in 1865, there have been plenty of short and long-priced winners.

In 2013, Happy Trails scored an upset win over the Melbourne Cup-bound Fawkner and Puissance De Lune, but there have been many favourites win also.

Horses such as Elvstroem, Northerly, Sunline, Winx, Verry Elleegant and Doriemus have all used the Turnbull Stakes as a stepping stone to bigger wins later in the carnival and punters see this race as a big form guide to those major races.

With such a good form-guide reference, betting in the Turnbull Stakes is vital to making money during the Melbourne Spring Carnival in futures markets and this year’s race promises to provide that once again.

2020 Turnbull Stakes result

Past Turnbull Stakes winners

• 2020: The Mare Does It!
  Heading into the 2020 Turnbull Stakes, all eyes were on the Chris Waller-trained Verry Elleegant en route to a crack at the Caulfield Cup. Having his first sit on the legendary mare, Mark Zahra steered Verry Elleegant to yet another Group 1 win. Having settled in the second half of the field Zahra had to begin the mare’s run 800m out from home and as she has shown throughout her career, Verry Elleegant managed to find a way to win, despite the need to sustain a long run. Rank outsider Toffee Tongue and the well supported Finche managed to fill out a Chris Waller-trained trifecta, with just 0.2 lengths seperating the three stablemates.
• 2019: Kings Will Dream Completes His Comeback
  After being severly injured during the 2018 Cox Plate, many had Kings Will Dream retired. Instead, he got off his deathbed and produced a performance for the ages when holding out Caulfield Cup favourite Finche to help build up a redemption campaign to run in the 2019 Cox Plate. Kings Will Dream’s successful Turnbull Stakes run win was Jye McNeil’s first Group 1 victory as a jockey.
• 2018: Winx wins in a heart stopper
  The 2018 Turnbull Stakes was all about the wondermare Winx and she duly delivered, just. After getting right back and finding traffic entering the straight a win was looking beyond the mare but those who doubted her looked foolish as Winx found daylight and hit the line like a steam train to record yet another Group 1 win en route to a fourth tilt at the Cox Plate.
• 2017: Winx whacks them on Flemington debut
  Winx made her Flemington debut in the Turnbull Stakes in one of the most dominating performances in the race’s history. Balancing up nicely at the jump Winx always looked comfortable and once she decided to win, the race was over. The second placed Ventura Storm wasn’t even in the photo on the line, such was the dominance of the mighty mare.
• 2016: Hartnell streaks away in the Turnbull
  Hartnell had the unfortunate luck of confronting Winx more often than not over the course of his career but the Godolphin champ made the most of the Winx-less field here. Settling just off the speed under James McDonald, Hartnell was produced at the top of the straight and quickly put away his rivals which included subsequent Caulfield Cup winner Jameka.
• 2015: Bowman's peach produces Preferment at the right time
  In one of the more spectacular wins you will see in Turnbull Stakes history, Hugh Bowman provided Preferment with an A-Grade ride to take out the race. Coming into the straight the horse was last and looking like an also-ran but under a bustling ride from Bowie the horse kicked it up a gear and began to surge at the 400m. It looked like it could have been too little, too late but the horse found again in the final 100m to topple Royal Descent in the final strides.
• 2014: Lucia Valentina fights to the line
  In a wide-open Turnbull Stakes field it was Lucia Valentina who produced enough when the race was on the line. In a three way go heading towards the 200m, Lucia Valentina fought tooth and nail towards the line to get the neck out on the line to win ahead of Brambles and Lidari. Lidari was later disqualified from the race.
• 2013: Hard driving Happy Trails records stunning win
  Gun runner Happy Trails recorded his second Group 1 victory in spectacular fashion at Flemington. Almost unsighted coming into the latter stages of the race, Happy Trails found a late split and surged to the line to topple Puissance de Lune and Fawkner in a finish that saw five horses separated at the line by less than a length and a half.

Past Turnbull Stakes winners list

Turnbull Stakes Past Winners Pre 2000

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