Turnbull is Allset to drive in Star Trek Final
The first major final on the 2021 Bathurst Harness Racing Club calendar will take place on Wednesday night and Nathan Turnbull will be hoping to drive a winner for his sister Amanda.
Turnbull has the drive for Allset, a New Zealand pacer that came across the Ditch towards the end of last year, trained by Amanda Turnbull and owned by Jenny Turnbull.
He got his first experience with the four-year-old bay gelding with track work on Sunday and believes he's shaping up nicely for the 1730-metre final.
"Amanda got in contact with me on Saturday and said to do some track worth with him on Sunday because he's a bit of a rat bag," he said.
"Everything is ticking over well and he's got a good chance in the final. He worked well.
"He's got a couple of tricks and he's a bit difficult to drive but since he's come here, he won his trial and then won well the other night.
"We just need a bit of luck in running on the night and I think he's a good chance to get some money."
The four-year-old bay gelding has drawn barrier two in the second row and has been backed in at $8 odds, next to red-hot favourite Bundoran, who will be driven by Amanda Turnbull, having drawn barrier one in the second row.
Amanda Turnbull has a third starter on the night Wattlebank Lass ($3), who will be driven by Isobel Ross from barrier eight.
Nathan Turnbull believes the barrier draw for Allset is "not the end of the world".
"Obviously it would be better if we drew the front row, to have a better shot of getting to the front because he led in his trial and led the other night," he said.
"It's not the end of the world and it's probably good back there then out wide, so we can follow through. If they're going hard enough, we'll stay in. If not and they ease up, we might be able to get around."
Turnbull expects race-favourite Bundoran to be the horse to beat in the final.
"Probably both of the other two Amanda has you'll have to watch. Wattlebank Lass has drawn out wide and then the one she's stuck with [Bundoran], you can take that one as a bit of a tip because she'd be driving the best one out of her chances," he said.
"It probably got the trickiest of all the draws, inside in the second row. That helps us out a little bit."
With plenty of history, Turnbull said it's a "pleasure" to featuring in one of Bathurst Harness Racing Club's major annual finals.
"It's always a pleasure to race in any of the bigger races we have at Bathurst throughout the year," he said.
"It's something you're honoured to be a part of it and to have a drive is even extra special.
Since moving to Australia, Allset has won three races from five starts.
By Bradley Jurd
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