Teddy Turpin turning tough start into success

Who is Teddy Turpin? Is he real? Or is he a mythical character? Is he a friend of Ted Lasso? No, no, no, let us explain.

Teddy Turpin is a standardbred pacer, born and bred in the Sunshine State and in many ways, epitomises the true Queensland spirit.

From the very start, life hasn’t been easy for the rugged pacer. His upbringing was far from conventional and more importantly, far from easy.

Putting it bluntly, he’s by a far from conventional stallion and the only foal from a mare that wanted nothing to do with him.

Teddy Turpin is the only foal to race from his sire Mattgregor, a stallion that didn’t even stand at a proper farm and completely unproven although he was a richly talented but injury plagued type who doubled as the first “good” horse for his young conditioners Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen.

Mattgregor was bought unraced as a three-year-old from the stables of Christchurch-based horseman Mark Jones for a modest amount.

He made a winning debut at Albion Park in stunning style when scoring comfortably in a scorching time of 1:53.9 back in 2015.

Mattgregor would win four of his first six starts (all at Albion Park) and while displaying obvious ability, he lacked a little ringcraft.

While unplaced in both the Queensland and Southeast Derby features, it allowed his young trainers to focus on upcoming interstate features including the Group 1 $200,000 Chariots Of Fire at Menangle.

Finishing as the runner-up in his qualifying heat, Mattgregor finished a tremendous fifth behind New Zealand superstar Lazarus in the feature four-year-old event in a time of 1:49.0 after starting from the outside draw.

Later that season, Mattgregor ventured to Melbourne to contest the Group 2 4YO & 5YO Championship and finished a gallant second behind My Field Marshal at Melton.

His biggest triumph came via Albion Park in the Group 3 Be Good Johnny Sprint in a time of 1:52.5.

Upon retirement, Mattgregor built a record of 18 wins from just 59 starts while amassing close to $200,000.

Connections decided to collect him and had it frozen and stored as a “just in case” idea.

The only mare Mattgregor covered was Opononis Bliss, a Mr Feelgood mare that managed to win six races from 21 starts and banking just over $40,000.

Like Mattgregor, Opononis Bliss scored on debut at Albion Park in a time of 1:57.9 and ended her racing career with a win at Albion Park in a PB time of 1:54.0 before retirement.

The concept of the mating was purely experimental.

It was Tony Turpin (Chantal’s father) who concocted the thought and made it happen.

“We went to the trouble of having him collected and stored and, after a period of time, I decided I was going to give it a go and elected to use my own mare Opononis Bliss. She was a useful type and I thought it was worth a shot,” Tony explained.

“Bear (Mattgregor) was a very good horse, and the kids did a great job with him given the issues he had so I thought it would be great if he could leave a winner. There were no expectations, it was a just a project that I thought was worth trying.”

The resultant foal was a bay colt that was quickly dubbed ‘Teddy’ by his connections.

But trouble wasn’t far away.

Opononis Bliss wasn’t cut out for motherhood and ultimately, trampled her newborn, which sent him off to the Westvets Clinic.

“She ran straight through him and over him. I honestly thought he was gone. When I got him into the float, he was cold. He spent over 10 days at the clinic but they saved him,” Tony said.

“And that’s part of his story with his name, I dubbed him Teddy because he was by Bear (Mattgregor) and given the amount of times I appeared at Westvets, they require a patient name, which was Teddy, and every time I turned up to check on him, the staff would say you’re here for Teddy Turpin.

“We got him back home and everything was going along well, and improvement was being made. He’s a decent size but not big, not like his father but more like his mother.”

Broken in and educated by Dan Russell, Teddy Turpin displayed ability and was worth carrying on with, so he was ultimately switched across to the Turpin/McMullen stable.

Well, that was the plan.

After returning to his place of birth for a break before the change in stables, Teddy Turpin put his offside hind leg through a barbed wire fence.

“It was back to Westvets again. He tore it up pretty bad but, again, they did an excellent job in getting him sorted. I was on first name basis with all the staff at the clinic by this stage,” Tony said.

“Eventually, he made his way across to the kids stable and went through the rigours of stable life without any major hiccups.”

Following some pleasing green trial efforts and a useful qualifying trial performance, Teddy Turpin couldn’t achieve what both his parents did and finished third in his debut at Albion Park on July 18, 2023.

His maiden victory came at his third start. He scored at Albion Park in a time of 1:59.2, which netted connections his all-important 1^st win QBRED bonus ($14,000).

In five starts during his rookie term, Teddy Turpin scored a victory and managed two minor placings before going for a well-deserved break.

His three-year-old term would prove to be his best to date. Teddy Turpin won six races (four at Albion Park and twice at Redcliffe) from 15 starts.

Importantly, he secured his 2^nd win QBRED bonus ($7500).

While he’s only won once this season as a four-year-old, he’s managed to run 10 minor placings. 

In his sole victory (at Albion Park) this term, he’s taken a new PB of 1:51.8.

Teddy Turpin boasts a record of eight wins from 37 starts with earnings above $75,000 plus QBRED bonus money.

“He can find a way to get beat, that’s for sure. He’s not a leader. He’s been beaten a few times after getting an easy lead, but he keeps earning so that’s the main thing,” Tony said.

“The money he’s earned via the QBRED bonuses paid for the all the time he’s spent at the vets. He’s still a young horse and hasn’t been overly taxed so who knows what the future holds, he’s a project that’s exceeded my expectations.

“As far as his mother goes, I tried again putting her in foal but it wasn’t meant to be, so she’s been moved on. I’ve still got the frozen stuff but I’m going to have to decide on what to do with that.”

Turpin has enjoyed good success this season with the likes of Our Sweet Delight (recent Carousel winner at Menangle) and his half-brother, the Group 1 Triad placed James Alfred.

But Teddy Turpin is Teddy Turpin: a tough, durable and super competitive harness racer. He’s the one and only. The original.

Hoofnote: Mattgregor also sired a filly which broke her leg in paddock accident.