HAWKESBURY trainer Edward O’Rourke will be hoping his recent acquisition Twin Turbo turns out to be “simply the best”.
The lightly-raced Sebring three-year-old made a winning start for his new trainer at Kembla Grange today – and it was all the more special because it was his first runner for prominent syndicators Blueblood Thoroughbreds.
Skilfully rated in front by Adam Hyeronimus, who rode a treble at the meeting, Twin Turbo ($3.10) led throughout and gallantly held out Wyong trainer Kim Waugh’s Community ($4.60) in the Provincial Maiden Handicap (1500m) to break through at only his third start.
Fellow Hawkesbury trainer Edward Cummings finished third with Felonious ($7.50).
“I helped out at the Inglis breeze-ups last year, and Blueblood mentioned they might give me a horse to train,” O’Rourke said this evening.
“It went out of my mind until all of a sudden I got a phone call only two months ago to ask if I would train Twin Turbo.”
The gelding had two unplaced starts in Victoria last September for co-trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr before being transferred to Nathan Doyle at Newcastle.
Twin Turbo trialled twice for Doyle in February and April, but did not race for him.
“I think Nathan recommended the horse might be better suited elsewhere, and that’s how I got him,” O’Rourke said.
“I started out taking him on the back tracks at Hawkesbury, and he began to work and trial better.
“There’s no doubt he has responded to the set-up at Hawkesbury.
“Rachel King rode him in both trials but is on holidays, and I was pleased to have Adam on board.
“He made up his mind to lead, and said afterwards Twin Turbo was still green and open to further improvement.”
A $60,000 Inglis Premier yearling purchase in Melbourne, Twin Turbo is the first foal of the cleverly-named Helmet mare and twice Victorian winner Tina Turban, whose dam has the same name as the late great rock legend Tina Turner’s big hit Simply The Best.
O’Rourke, who notched his third winner this season, took blinkers off the gelding and instead used ear muffs pre-race.
He is looking forward to stretching Twin Turbo out in distance in the hope he will live up to his granddam’s name.
“I’m sure he will be even better at 2000m,” he said.
“We’ll look for a suitable 1600m race next, and then get him up to 2000m.”
Kembla Grange trainers’ premiership front-runners Rob and Luke Price also were successful with a recent acquisition.
The father and son combination took the Class 1 Handicap (1000m) with Rebel Dean, who overcame a slow start and provided Hyeronimus with his third winner.
The Rebel Dane three-year-old joined the Kembla Grange team and raced in a tongue tie, after being unplaced at his previous start at Gosford three weeks ago.
But his previous success was also at Kembla Grange, in a 3YO Maiden (1000m) on October 13 last year at $31 when on debut.
. Leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees followed his Royal Randwick (Ucalledit) and Eagle Farm (Luncies) victories last Saturday by claiming a Taree double today.
He scored with Lady Soames ($2.90 favorite) and Sukhbir ($16). Andrew Gibbons rode Lady Soames, and Kody Nestor had the mount on Sukhbir.
Fellow Newcastle trainer Todd Howlett also was in the winner’s list at the Taree meeting, his $1.10 hotpot Tanglewood thrashing his rivals by five and a half lengths in the Maiden Handicap (1007m).
*Word John Curtis, June 27, 2023 - Pics Bradley Photos*
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