Australia: Turk Warrior horse for course at Hobart

The two-time stakes winner Turk Warrior has won 11 of 20 starts in his career in Australia, racing exclusively in sprints.

Turk Warrior has won 5 of 8 starts at Hobart Racecourse on the island of Tasmania and will race there for the first time in more than a year in the Winzenberg Handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs on Saturday evening.

The Winzenberg Handicap, which drew a field of 11, will be Turk Warrior’s second start following a five-month layoff. On Nov. 29, Turk Warrior finished fourth by slightly more than 1 1/4 lengths in the Newmarket Handicap at six furlongs at Launceston Racecourse in Tasmania. None of the first three finishers in that field are part of Winzenberg Handicap.

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In the Winzenberg Handicap, the 5-year-old Turk Warrior must contend with Tsunami Sam, who has won his last two starts in sprints at Hobart, and Geegees Gemstone, who is on a three-race winning streak since returning from a five-month layoff in early October.

Turk Warrior, who will be ridden by Ismail Toker, has a tendency to run near the front and is drawn well for that style of racing in post 7.

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Tsunami Sam, a winner of 5 of 13 starts, will be among the leading choices in a competitive Winzenberg. Tsunami Sam has not raced since a win in a six-furlong handicap at Hobart on Sept. 3 in which he led throughout. He closed from fourth of seven to win a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 13 in the first race of the current streak.

Geegees Gemstone has won at 5 1/2 furlongs and six furlongs in his current streak, racing from off the pace. All of the wins were at Launceston. A winner of 5 of 9 starts, Geegees Gemstone drew post 2 in the Winzenberg Handicap, which will be the biggest field the 4-year-old gelding has faced.

Hobart has a nine-race program beginning at 8:20 p.m. Eastern or 5:20 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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