Trans-Tasman weekend for Forsman
Single Red (NZ) (Vanbrugh) will by flying Andrew Forsman’s flag in Queensland on Saturday, but the trans-Tasman trainer will also have plenty of firepower back in New Zealand.
The Cambridge horseman will head to Arawa Park with a handful of runners, with his charge being led by Group Two performer Kitty Flash (NZ) (Ace High), who will be seeking an elusive stakes victory in the Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m).
The lightly raced daughter of Ace High has placed at stakes level on five occasions, including in her last three outings, and Forsman is hoping she can shed her bridesmaid tag this weekend.
Forsman has been pleased with her progression since her first-up placing in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m) at Otaki last month, with his only concern being track conditions, with Arawa Park rated a Soft7 on Friday morning, with rain forecast overnight.
“She had to do a bit of work first-up, she would have improved a lot for it,” Forsman said. “I feel like up to 1400m suits and clearly the better the track for her the happier we would be.”
Stablemate Pacifico (NZ) (Ardrossan) will also be hunting for black-type success in the Listed Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m) following his last start placing in the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m).
“He is going really well and I thought it was a game effort last start, he came again,” Forsman said. “We have always queried him over a middle distance, but I thought that was a strong effort.
“Typically he is better right-handed, but Rotorua is a left-handed track that he has seemed to have performed well at. I expect another competitive run from him.”
On the undercard, Forsman will be represented by last start placegetters Accentuate (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) and Morning Cocoa (NZ) (Vadamos) in the Pedersen Homes 1400 and Laser Electrical 2200 respectively, while Forsman will be keeping a close eye on track conditions for Desert Jewel (NZ) (Proisir), who is set to make her debut in the Atkinson And Donaldson 1215.
“I think Accentuate will handle a wet track to a point and her last start run at Te Rapa was good,” Forsman said. “I think if it was a similar sort of track we would be confident.
“She is in good form and is improving all the time, and she should be spot on heading into Saturday.
“Morning Cocoa is going really well. Stepping up from the mile to 2200m will be the query and if the track does become testing that is probably going to be a concern, but we have seen her race over ground on slower tracks before and run well.
“Desert Jewel has had a couple of quiet trials. We have just tried to ride her a little bit conservatively in those trials and get her to finish off. It was quite deep and testing in her last trial and if the track got into the Heavy range we would probably save her for another day.”
Across the Tasman, Single Red will commence her Queensland campaign in Saturday’s Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m), with the Group One performer set to jump from barrier five with jockey Craig Grylls retaining the ride.
“She travelled via Sydney to the Gold Coast last Sunday and has handled it all really well,” Forsman said.
“It is a big advantage to have Craig on. I think Craig has done a bit of riding in Brisbane anyway and he is certainly a well established and capable jockey, so we don’t lose anything with having him on. Having someone on who knows the horse I think is a big key.”
Back in New Zealand on Saturday, Forsman will head south to Waverley with just the one runner, and he is confident Mr Mojo Risin’ (NZ) (Deep Field) can bring home the winner’s cheque following the Treadwell Gordon 1400.
“I am rapt with him,” Forsman said. “He didn’t have much luck resuming, he was a little bit keen, he didn’t begin that well and he had to do a bit of work. He sat up on speed and just felt the pinch and knocked up late, but I thought it was a run he would have taken a lot of improvement out of.
“Up to the 1400m, I think the tempo will suit him a bit better.
“We have elected to take the blinkers off, he trialled really well without the blinkers on going into Ellerslie and hopefully he isn’t as keen in the run and that will help him.
“I am expecting him to be hard to beat."
