It was a very exciting Friday night at Moonee Valley for the team on the 18th of March, 2022. Prix De Turn lined up a $22 chance in the $750,000 Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes over the Cox Plate distance of 2040m. He was coming off a solid run in the Group 1 Australian Guineas over 1600m 13 days prior, where he drew an outside barrier and had no choice but to go back in the run. Fortunately, the Alister Clark barrier draw was a lot more kinder to the 3yo entire son of Turn Me Loose (finally!), drawing a lovely gate in 3 which would in turn give jockey Beau Mertens plenty of options.
Coping a small check coming out of the barriers, Prix De Turn settled a little further back in the field than what was initially intended, but with a solid tempo in fron0,t it worked out perfect. A sensational ride by Mertens, ensured the runs were taken at the right times, and when Prix De Turn hit the front at the top of the straight, he never looked in doubt. Prix De Turn has not been a stranger to top level 3yo races, with five of his seven races contested being in Group company which made the win even more satisfying. We have always had a huge opinion of the colt, it was just a case of when we would see the best of him. Fortunately, it was this night.
Prix De Turn is raced by a sensational group of connections, with a combination of some of our most loyal clients, as well as a few first time horse owners. A number of connections in the ownership group, also raced Prix De Turns sire in Turn Me Loose. Congratulations to Browns & Kirks, Mr T A Hartley, Mr B D’Abaco, Mr P Emini, Mr P Emini, Mr J R Hicks, Mr P T Tancredi, Mr D Prins, Mr R Rastogi, Mr P Boulton, Mr W J Rilen, Mr W R Rilen, Mr B J Rilen, Mr M Rudy, Mr W Rudy, Mr N De Prazer, Mr P Deveney, Mr M F O’shea, Mr F De Pasquale, Mr D Painter.
A big congratulations and thank you to the entire Matthew Brown Racing team at home who work tirelessly behind the scenes to get results like this, especially Harley who treats this horse like his baby.
Prix De Turn was passed in at the 2020 Karaka New Zealand Yearling Sale afters failing to make his $50,000 reserve, before being purchased by the stable for $47,500 at the 2020 Inglis Ready 2 Race Sale. He now takes his earnings to $556,900 with the two wins and one second from seven career starts.
He will now head for a well deserved spell, as we map a Spring Carnival plan.