Amanda Turnbull.
BATHURST’S Amanda Turnbull claimed her third Kriden Farm Canola Cup in the sulky on Monday afternoon when she produced a copybook drive aboard the Nathan Jack-trained Chart Topper.
It is difficult to find any more superlatives to describe just how talented Turnbull is.
Yet, it was summed up by former chairman of Harness Racing New South Wales and race sponsor Rod Smith, who declared Amanda as being “just the best” when making his post-race Cup presentation and it is doubtful anyone who witnessed her performance would disagree.
Chart Topper was sent to the barrier as a $2.10 favourite, but the 2023 Bathurst Gold Crown victor certainly had the task ahead of him from an awkward gate 11 barrier draw.
However, in what has become her trademark as the best 800-metre circuit driver in the game, Turnbull summed the race up perfectly, settling her charge comfortably behind the leaders and allowing the frantic early speed to dissipate before moving around to the death chair with 1000m to travel.
From there, Turnbull was the mastermind of control, only applying the acid test when it was needed on the home turn and then coaxing Chart Topper over the concluding stages to hold onto a half-length advantage, rating 1:58.6 in the process.
“Chart Topper was great today, and he needed to be,” Turnbull explained after the race.
“I admit that I was a little concerned when we drew gate 11, but he just handled everything so well.
“He was all out on the line and really had to dig deep.
“In the end, it was his class that got him home.”
When asked where this victory sat beside her three Canola Cup successes, Turnbull was quick to label it as right up there with the other two.
“This horse has been special to me,” she said.
“He provided me with my first Bathurst Gold Crown win and he is just a really cool horse to do anything with.”
The champion horsewoman recently clocked up her 2500th winner in the gig and this was win 2510.
