Turnbull Stakes Preview and Tips 05/10/24

It’s every horse racing fan's dream, four Group One races on the same day! It’s a massive day of racing, the first weekend of the Spring Racing Carnival that features multiple Group One races and things are only going to heat up from here.

While there is only one race at Flemington Racecourse, the Turnbull Stakes, there are three Group Ones at Randwick Racecourse, including the Epsom Handicap, the Flight Stakes and The Metropolitan. So, make sure you clear your schedule as there’s going to be high-quality racing all afternoon. 

My Saturday tips for the Turnbull Stakes are coming in hot and I’ve found five best bets for you to choose from, so there is certainly something for everyone. If one set of Group One tips isn’t enough for you, I’ve also done tips on OnlyRacing for the other three Group Ones this weekend.

It’s difficult to know just who is going to lead in this one, there are plenty of contenders that could comfortably lead. I reckon the likes of Duke De Sessa and Eliyass will look to push forward and take a position near the front of the pack. 

Can the favourite, Eliyass, lead from barrier to finishing post? Maybe, we will have to wait and see! Bois D’Argent and Buckaroo will also likely be near the front of the pack. Another one of the more favoured runners in the market, Via Sistina, will probably look to hang back from the wide barrier and look for some handy cover.

There are a few that I like for the Turnbull Stakes, but I’m siding with Via Sistina to get the job done. It was somewhat of a difficult choice because there are several genuine contenders here. Keep your eye on the weather though, the more rain that falls in Melbourne, the worse it is for Via Sistina I reckon.

It was a total forget run in the Makybe Diva Stakes last start when she went down as the favourite on a Heavy9 track. She is a class horse though, with multiple Group One wins under her belt, so I’m expecting her to bounce back in a big way here. She is currently paying $5.00 with PlayUp to win the Turnbull Stakes.

The favourite is the favourite for a reason and while I do like Via Sistina, I reckon Eliyass is a pretty safe bet as well. He is a beast of a horse that has only suffered two defeats so far in his 11-start career. Those two defeats weren’t in Australia or over the 2,000m distance so that stacks up pretty well here.

He’s had a bit of luck on his side recently, getting favourable barriers and now he gets a wide gate, so we’ll have to see how he overcomes that. I think he has a good positive racing style, so I’m not that concerned about the wide gate and I think he’ll look to cut across and be near the front of the pack. In terms of the odds, Eliyass is currently paying $4.20 with Bet365.

The best value in the race has to go to Warmonger. There’s a lot of value floating around in this open edition of the Turnbull Stakes, but I think Warmonger is the one who is good enough to even win this one. He knows how to win races that are 2,000m or more and his Queensland Derby win proves that. 

The Group One-winning gelding is currently paying $13 with Dabble to win the Turnbull Stakes, which I think is shocking. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him shorten up a bit and his single digits before the race. He has faced some difficult opponents so far in this prep, which I think sets him up nicely. A high-class horse that deserves respect.

I’m putting down Atishu as the danger in this race because she loves Flemington and races over 2,000m. This is her bread and butter, so count her out at your own peril. It’s been a long time between drinks for the multiple Group One winner, but her recent efforts certainly have her in the mix here.

She is currently paying $12.50 for the win thanks to our friends at QuestBet. We last saw her at the Makybe Diva Stakes, when she finished 10.2L off the pace in 10th place. But her previous run at Flemington Racecourse saw her finish third in the Australian Cup and before that, she won the Blamey Stakes.

I’ve found a nice little roughie here that I reckon can really shake things up if he gets some luck and stays out of trouble. Gets no favours from the barrier draw but two of his three Group One wins have come over the same distance he is tackling on Saturday in the Turnbull Stakes.

Sharp ‘N’ Smart is paying $26 to win the race, thanks to Bet Right. He does have the class to run with the best of them and while I don’t necessarily think he can win this one, he’s good enough for a top-three finish. Can’t wait to watch him in the race and see how this one shakes out for him.

All my Turnbull Stakes horse racing tips and their odds can be found here:

Bookmaker	Tip	Odds
	Via Sistina (win)	$5.00
	Eliyass (each-way)	$4.20/$1.90
	Warmonger (each-way)	$13/$3.80
	Atishu (each-way)	$12.50/$3.70
	Sharp ‘N’ Smart (place)	$6.25