Andrew Forsman is hoping for a lucrative few weeks in Melbourne with his talented three-year-olds Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan), Mustang Morgan (NZ) (Preferment) and Prochester (NZ) (Proisir).
The trio will all line up at Flemington on Saturday in races that are qualifying heats for the Winter Finals at the same venue on July 5.
Yaldi’s assignment is the K. A. Morrison Handicap (1400m), which is a qualifier for the A$150,000 Silver Bowl Series Final (1600m). Mustang Morgan and Prochester are entered for Saturday’s Sir Henry Bolte Handicap (2000m), which is a heat for the A$200,000 Mahogany Challenge Final (2500m).
“These are a couple of nice three-year-old series that run through the winter in Melbourne and allow us to race for some good money,” Forsman said. “With limited options at home for all three horses at this stage of the season, it makes sense to see how they go over there.”
Yaldi is no stranger to Forsman’s Flemington stable. The son of Ardrossan crossed the Tasman as an autumn two-year-old last season, finishing third in the Listed Anzac Day Stakes (1400m). He also ran eighth in the Gr.3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in the spring.
The winner of the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) on Boxing Day, Yaldi’s latest Australian mission comes on the back of a close sixth in the Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa on April 26.
“I was very happy with that run,” Forsman said. “He drew wide and had to do a lot of work, so there was plenty of merit in his performance.
“He’s been doing great leading into Saturday’s race. He’s fit and well. He travelled across perfectly. He’s been to the Flemington stable before, so it’s all been pretty seamless with him this time around.”
Mustang Morgan was a fourth placegetter in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) in March. The Preferment gelding went on to finish 12th in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick, before an eighth at Caulfield on May 3 that was better than it might look on paper.
“I thought he was really unlucky in that race,” Forsman said. “He had a big weight (60kg) and got squeezed back. To end up within six lengths of the winner was a good effort.”
Proisir gelding Prochester finished third in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) at Trentham on March 29, then was unplaced in the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) at Flemington on April 25.
“I was disappointed with that performance,” Forsman said. “He raced quite keenly, which is unusual for him. I’m hoping that dropping back to 2000m on Saturday will suit him better.”
Forsman will also be active on the home front on Saturday. The Cambridge trainer, who has a total of 982 wins in New Zealand to his name, will saddle Rufus (NZ) (Circus Maximus) in the Listed Skycity Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie.
Rufus ran second at Trentham on April 12, then took on older opposition in a 1400m maiden race at Ellerslie on May 7. The son of Circus Maximus finished 10th after a tough wide run.
“He was caught wide and had to do a lot of work in that race,” Forsman said. “The intention was always to run him that day and set him up for the Champagne Stakes. It’s hard to back up into a black-type race after an unplaced performance like that, but he did have excuses. The blinkers will come off this week and we’ll hope to ride him a bit more conservatively. He could be a big improver.”