Tulsa Turnaround in Timaru breakthrough

Four-year-old Circus Maximus-mare Tulsa Turnaround picked up her maiden win in the Echoes Of Heaven @ Clearview Park (1600m) at Phar Lap Raceway in Timaru on Wednesday.

The Andrew Carston trained mare was given a positive front-running ride from jockey Matthew Cameron, leading from the jump to score by a length over second placed Shes So Flash.

Carston said the former North Island-based galloper benefited from the Soft6 surface. 

“She had three starts down here before yesterday all on worse tracks so we were pretty confident going back to a dryer track that she would run well, and she did,” he said.

“Matt took bad luck out of the equation, and she was too good which was pleasing.”

Carston took over the training of Tulsa Turnaround in July leasing her from her co-breeders Mapperley Stud.

She is raced by a large group which includes Carston, the Ash Punters Syndicate, Pussy Galore Syndicate and first-time racehorse owner Debbie Condon who was on course to celebrate the occasion.

“She has a good bunch of owners including some new ones, and first-time owners, it’s always good to get new people in,” Carston said.

“She’s Debbie’s first horse and she was very excited to be there.”

Tulsa Turnaround has now had nine starts for one win and two placings and Carston said he thinks she has more in store.

“She’s a horse that now we’ve got a win on the board I think she can progress further, she’s a big strong mare,” he said.

Tulsa Turnaround is from the first Southern Hemisphere crop of Windsor Park Stud’s Champion miler Circus Maximus and his 41st winner.

She is out of the six-time race winning and stakes performed Keeper mare Sultry Assassin, who Carston worked with, when she raced from John Sargent’s Sydney stable in 2013-14.

“She’s relatively well bred and now she’s a winner so we couldn’t be happier,” he said.