Andrew Forsman has fond memories from the annual Karaka Millions meeting, and he is hoping to record some more when he heads to Ellerslie on Saturday for the blockbuster twilight event.
The trans-Tasman trainer won the 2021 edition of the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) with Aegon, a horse he raced with the Zame Partnership, and trained in partnership with his mentor Murray Baker.
Now training in a solo capacity, Forsman will be seeking to double his tally in the $1.5 million feature this weekend where he will have a two-pronged attack courtesy of Fat Cat (Written Tycoon) and Chilling Out (NZ) (Savabeel).
Chilling Out has won her last two starts, after placing on debut at Arawa Park last month, and while she is one of the lighter raced three-year-olds in the field, Forsman believes she will be able to measure up to her more fancied rivals this weekend.
“She has been quite exciting right from the start,” he said. “I remember when she won a trial on the polytrack, she looked smart and everything she has done from then she has really kept improving.
“Being a Savabeel, that is what they tend to do, and you feel like she has got the class to be very competitive.”
Fat Cat has won one of his eight starts to date and Forsman said the Written Tycoon gelding is a work in progress.
“Fat Cat is a horse we are still trying to figure out what he actually wants to be or do,” he said. “He is taking a lot of time to mature.
“I thought his run was full of merit last start at Ellerslie (when fifth behind Chilling Out), he didn’t have many favours and the plan from a wide draw (9) will be to put him in the race a little bit more on the weekend.
“I am sure he is the sort of horse that is going to keep improving.”
Forsman will also be represented in the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) by Stromlinien.
By Almanzor and out of stakes winner Santa Catarina, Stromlinien was purchased by Forsman, in partnership with Andrew Williams, out of Elsdon Park’s Karaka yearling sale draft last year for $450,000, and Forsman said she is starting to live up to that price tag.
She won on debut at Ellerslie earlier this month after having just one prior trial, and Forsman believes she has the capability of being competitive on Saturday where she will jump from barrier nine with premiership-leading hoop Craig Grylls aboard.
“She is a lovely filly that we have always liked,” Forsman said. “We had to pay a fair bit of money to secure her at the yearling sales last year, but she looks classy and she has done everything to live up to that since we have had her in the stable.
“She was very professional (on debut) off only ever having one quiet trial and I think she will take good improvement for that experience. She will need to, she goes up against a stronger field again on Saturday. If she gets the right run I think she will run very well.”
Forsman’s other stakes contenders on the six-race card include Yaldi and Hinekaha in the $1.04 million Gr.3 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m).
Yaldi has a good record at Ellerslie, winning the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m), and while he heads into the weekend in solid form, distance remains Forsman’s only query.
“We know he is a very capable galloper,” Forsman said. “I think a mile is right at the very limit of his capabilities but he has drawn (2) to get every chance to run the trip out and if he can do that I am sure he will be there at the finish.”
Hinekaha has won her last three starts, culminating in last month’s Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa, and while pleased with his mare in the lead-up to Saturday’s contest, Forsman is concerned about competing on a right-handed track.
“She keeps getting better-and-better,” he said. “She has drawn (4) to get a nice enough run, but Ellerslie is a bit of a concern for her, it’s a track she has never really seemed that comfortable getting around.
“I think we have never quite seen the best of her there, and she just seems to be a bit happier left-handed, but it is the right race and you only get one chance as a four-year-old to run in a race like this and I think on class she will be competitive.”
Forsman will kick-off the meeting with in-form mare Mary Shan, who will be seeking to continue the strong run for her owners Gerald Shand and Jackie Rogers, who tasted Group One success earlier this month with First Five.
Mary Shan has been in a similar rich vein of form, having won three of her four starts this season, including the Gr.3 Northern Challenge Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie in November.
She has been freshened since that run and trialled at Ellerslie earlier this month ahead of tackling Saturday’s HKJC World Pool Jo Giles Stakes (1400m), where Forsman believes she will be better placed under set weights and penalties conditions.
“She had a little freshen-up after winning at a mile,” Forsman said. “She paid the penalty in the handicap for winning that race, so we have had to change tack a little bit.
“We were lining up Rich Hill Miles (Gr.2,1600m) and Thorndon Miles (Gr.2,1600m) but given where she is now in the ratings, I think in races like this at set weights she is going to be much better off.
“Back to 1400m might be a touch of a concern but she has drawn nicely (2) and should get every chance.”
Forsman will also be chasing stakes success earlier in the day at New Plymouth where last-start winner Single Red will carry OTI Racing’s silks in the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m).
Meanwhile, Group One performer Positivity has returned to New Zealand from Forsman’s Flemington barn.
The Ben Kwok-raced mare has been campaigning in Australia since her runner-up performance in the 2024 edition of the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), where she was victorious in the Gr.3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m) and Gr.3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m).
She has struggled to find form in recent times and she has returned home where she will likely resume in the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) at Ellerslie next Saturday.
“We are hoping to kick her off at Ellerslie next Saturday,” Forsman said.
“We wanted to get a trial into her before then but the weather has just been horrendous, so she almost certainly won’t have a trial tomorrow (Friday) at Matamata, which is a bit of a shame.
“She will go into that run needing it, but we need to make a start with her. We don’t have any real grand plans, we just want to get a run into her and then decide what her path will be.”