Turbo Linn bows out
Turbo Linn, winner of her first eight races, is to be retired to the paddocks after finishing fifth at Haydock on Saturday.
The five-year-old mare will join her dam Linns Heir at her owner-breeder James Nelson’s stud in Lockerbie.
“We’re going to retire her. She’s done her job, she’s nothing else to prove,” said trainer Alan Swinbank.
“She ran a little bit flat at Haydock, although an extra special horse (Anna Pavlova) won the race. There are a lot of younger horses coming through and she’s getting older.
“She’ll be going back to Lockerbie to James Nelson’s stud and I’ve told him the first thing he has to do on Monday morning is to ring Coolmore to sort out which stallion she is going to.”
The North Yorkshire-based handler believes the time is right to call it a day with Turbo Linn, whose rise from bumper winner to Group Two heroine is a true rags to riches story.
“She’s had 12 runs and been in the money nearly every time,” Swinbank went on.
“We’ll have to find something to replace her if we possibly can.
“I have her full sister, a two-year-old called Lady Counsellor, which we are breaking in at the moment and won’t run until next year.
“I’m hopeful of big things from her but I don’t know yet where she will start off. She’s a lovely individual.
“Turbo Linn’s got a foal half-brother by Royal Anthem coming through and the dam is in foal to King’s Theatre this time.
“I should have two nice broodmares next year with Turbo Linn joining her dam Linns Heir.”
Swinbank paid tribute to Turbo Linn, whose finest hour came when she won the Lancashire Oaks which was switched to Newmarket after Haydock was called off last July.
This year’s Lancashire Oaks has turned out to be her swansong.
“She’s done marvellous for us. Not many horses win eight on the trot. She won five bumpers, a maiden at Catterick, the Lancashire Oaks and a Listed race at Newmarket. Then she went to the Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster and got beat,” he remarked.
“This year she was just touched off at Hamilton and was seventh in the Coronation Cup and yesterday she picked up over two and a half grand for fifth.
“I’ve only been training six years but I’ve had some good horses like Collier Hill, Formal Decree and Far Pavilions and she’s up there with the best.
“She’s been a lovely horse to train but you’ve got to stop sometime. We hope we can breed some more like her.”
Turbo Linn’s exploits on the track earned her connections win and place money totalling £86,221.
