High class galloper Turn Me Loose was one of Australasia's fastest and toughest milers

A classic winning three-year-old, Turn Me Loose cemented his position at the head of the best milers of his generation with formidable Group one winning performances at Melbourne’s highly acclaimed Spring and Autumn Racing Carnivals in 2015. Turn Me Loose was crowned Champion Sprinter and Middle Distance performer at the completion of his 4YO season and retired to stud a triple Group One winner of seven races from 1200m to 1600m with his prizemoney earnings exceeding $1.7 million.

Turn Me Loose is the best performed galloper by internationally successful sire Iffraaj, whose 48 stakes winners to date includes top Australasian 3YO’s Gingernuts (New Zealand Derby, Rosehill Guineas) and Jon Snow (Australian Derby). Iffraaj is also an emerging sire of sires with his son Wootton Bassett siring Europe’s 2016 highest rated racehorse, Almanzor in his first crop of runners. Bred from a borrowed mare, the million dollar earner is the stuff of thoroughbred fairytales. Noted racecaller George Simon and his wife Maryanne borrowed Danehill mare Indomitable from Sir Peter Vela and bred a colt which they then sold at auction to Melbourne racing identity Lindsay de Souza, who roped in a few mates. From an internationally successful family, Turn Me Loose is the only colt to date produced by Indomitable, a daughter of the breed-shaping sire Danehill while his second dam Kwan, by Sadler’s Wells, is a half-sister to three Group winners including European Gr.1 winning 2YO Fairy Heights. He was trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman and ridden by Opie Bosson in New Zealand, Kerrin McEvoy in Australia, although Damien Oliver did ride him twice.

A juvenile winner at two, Turn Me Loose showed himself to be a class above his three-year-old contemporaries with a dominant three length classic victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. Upon travelling to Australia for an Autumn 3YO campaign Turn Me Loose contracted travel sickness with the consequence that he was sidelined for the remainder of his 3YO season.

He returned to Australian racing as a 4YO at the Spring Carnival where he confirmed his class as an elite level performer with a trio of black-type victories culminating with success in the Gr.1 VRC Emirates Stakes over 1600m at Flemington. The following Autumn in Melbourne, Turn Me Loose transitioned to a Group One Weight-For-Age winner when successful in the MRC Futurity Stakes at Caulfield where he defeated eight other Group One winners. His other notable victories in Australia include, the Listed Seymour Cup (1600m), the Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley, and in 2017 he ran 2nd to Black Hart Bart in the Gr.1 CF Orr (1400m) at Caulfield with Ecuador third.

To have the speed and class to win a 1400m WFA Group One race in Australia requires exceptional talent which he had in spades. His trademark was to work his way to the lead, maintain solid sectionals and out-sprint his opposition. Turn Me Loose won two awards at the New Zealand Industry Awards in 2016. Both Champion Stayer and Champion Sprinter went to the bay colt that had a number of starts and wins over his 4 year racing career.

RACE RECORD - 20: 7-4-1

EARNINGS - $1,700,199

G1 NZ 2000 Guineas

G1 VRC Emirates Stakes

G1 MRC Futurity Stakes

G2 Crystal Mile

LR Seymour Cup