Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
Ravenswood trainer Nathan Turvey was happy when Busselton trainer Barry Howlett asked him to take over the preparation of talented mare Three Rumours a few weeks ago. But he admitted he was also somewhat apprehensive.
“Barry gave me Three Rumours to train because there were some Albany meetings on Friday nights, and he wanted to take horses to race at those meetings,” said Turvey.
“Her final run for Barry was very good (second to Steno in the Christmas Belles) and so I was nervous and didn’t want to go backwards.”
To Turvey’s credit, Three Rumours has performed in fine style at her first two starts for her new trainer, a short half-head second to Rumour Has It followed by an excellent performance to win the $27,000 Retravision Online Pace over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Three Rumours was the $1.90 favourite from the No. 6 barrier on Friday night when Gary Hall Jnr opted out of the early speed battle and settled Three Rumours in last position in the field of six while $23 chance Queeninthecorner was setting the pace and resisting a challenge from $5.50 third fancy Rumour Has It.
Hall sent Three Rumours forward with a three-wide burst 900m from home, and then Chris Lewis dashed Rumour Has It to the front with 650m to travel, and the two classy mares careered away from their rivals as they fought for the ascendancy. Three Rumours finished determinedly to get to the front 60m from the post and go on to beat Rumour Has It by a half-length, rating 1.55.4, with final quarters of 28.1sec. and 29.5sec.
“Three Rumours showed that she is very tough and showed that she should be a strong contender in the upcoming feature events for mares,” said Turvey.
The New Zealand-bred Three Rumours has raced 46 times for ten wins, 17 seconds and three thirds for stakes of $193,359.