Turncoat
Race Images Palmerston North
Punters who had their fingers burnt when hot favourite Turncoat flopped on debut at Trentham last month may have been feeling a little better with themselves after the strapping Swiss Ace gelding comfortably made amends on his home track on Saturday.
Sent out at cramped odds on debut, the Allan Sharrock trained gelding never raised his supporter's hopes when he dwelt at the start and finished well back that day. This time the three-year-old gelding bounced straight to the front from the barriers and travelled easily throughout the 1200 metre contest. Slipped some rein by rider Jonathan Riddell approaching the home bend, Turncoat lengthened stride impressively and dashed away in the straight to win untouched by nearly five lengths at the post.
"To be fair we did expect him to do something similar on debut but he missed the jump and a few things went wrong for him that day," explained Sharrock.
"I've made no secret of the high regard I hold him in so I was pretty happy he proved me right this time as he's only going to get better as he matures and learns what it's all about."
Raced by his breeder Gerry Harvey, Turncoat has impressed Sharrock from the moment he stepped onto his property.
"He was a bit of a rogue early on but once we straightened that out he has just gone from strength to strength," he said.
"He is a big, powerful type who has run some amazing sectionals in trackwork so I think he has a big future ahead of him if we can retain him here in New Zealand.
"I'm sure Gerry will be fielding some offers from Hong Kong and the like so where he ends up will depend on what he wants to do but if he does stay here I expect to see him get through to the top echelon in the future." – NZ Racing Desk
Sent out at cramped odds on debut, the Allan Sharrock trained gelding never raised his supporter's hopes when he dwelt at the start and finished well back that day. This time the three-year-old gelding bounced straight to the front from the barriers and travelled easily throughout the 1200 metre contest. Slipped some rein by rider Jonathan Riddell approaching the home bend, Turncoat lengthened stride impressively and dashed away in the straight to win untouched by nearly five lengths at the post.
"To be fair we did expect him to do something similar on debut but he missed the jump and a few things went wrong for him that day," explained Sharrock.
"I've made no secret of the high regard I hold him in so I was pretty happy he proved me right this time as he's only going to get better as he matures and learns what it's all about."
Raced by his breeder Gerry Harvey, Turncoat has impressed Sharrock from the moment he stepped onto his property.
"He was a bit of a rogue early on but once we straightened that out he has just gone from strength to strength," he said.
"He is a big, powerful type who has run some amazing sectionals in trackwork so I think he has a big future ahead of him if we can retain him here in New Zealand.
"I'm sure Gerry will be fielding some offers from Hong Kong and the like so where he ends up will depend on what he wants to do but if he does stay here I expect to see him get through to the top echelon in the future." – NZ Racing Desk
