Andrew Forsman’s young troops have served him so well in Melbourne and he sends Mr Maestro into battle for the final time this spring at Flemington on Saturday.
The Cambridge trainer has enjoyed satisfying three-year-old successes with the Savabeel colt and stablemate She’s Licketysplit, who has returned home after stamping her quality in four appearances.
The daughter of Turn Me Loose won the Gr.2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) in between third placings in the Gr.2 Tranquil Star Stakes (1400m) and the Gr.1 Thousand Guineas (1600m).
She’s Licketysplit wound up her campaign when eighth and less than 3 lengths off the winner Icebath in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m).
Mr Maestro has won twice at Flemington, including the Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) and also collected the Gr.3 Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield before a brave effort for fourth in the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m).
The Savabeel colt breezed through that run well enough to warrant a crack at Anamoe and company in Saturday’s Gr.1 Champions Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.
“We did think about it ahead of the Derby and kept it as an option if he was happy and well,” Forsman said.
“It is a nice race for him, given that I don’t think he ran out the 2500m of the Derby and dropping back to 2000m suits him.
“There’s not a lot to lose and plenty to gain. The owners were keen to have a go and I can’t fault him.”
To be ridden by Michael Dee, Mr Maestro will be joined in the stable’s Champions Stakes challenge by Tim Clark’s mount Mustang Valley, who earned her spot following her victory romp in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m).
“She has settled in well, given that she’s had a hard prep and a lot of travelling. She’s bright and galloped well this week,” Forsman said.
“The track will be good and obviously we would have liked it wet, but she doesn’t need a heavy track it’s just that she would have been better on it than a lot of them.”
Aegon runs in the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) off the back of his victory in the Gr.3 Moonga Stakes (1400m), and with Saint Bathans, has added to Forsman’s winning spring tally in Melbourne.
“If Aegon had drawn better I would have been a lot happier. He’s going to have to go back and I don’t think there’s a lot of speed in the race, but the positive is that it’s an 11-horse field so he shouldn’t get too far off them,” Forsman said.
Saint Bathans finished a gallant fourth at Flemington on Thursday while stablemate White Noise finished fifth in the Listed Cup Day Plate after he ran third in the Listed Sale Cup (1800m).
“They ran well and if they had swapped track conditions we might have got different results,” Forsman said.
“Saint Bathans needed a slower track, while White Noise didn’t want one on Tuesday.
“At this stage, they are all coming home next week although Saint Bathans is unconfirmed, I’m not 100 per cent sure about him. He is a progressive horse and he’s done a really good job.”
Meanwhile at Te Rapa on Saturday, two well-credentialled two-year-olds will debut for Forsman in the SVS Starting Gates 2YO (1000m).
Ethereal Star and Full Tilt have both placed at the trials with the former a $600,000 Karaka purchase from Blandford Lodge’s draft and is out of Makfi’s daughter Eleonora.
She was a dual Group Three winner for Forsman during his time with Murray Baker and ran third in the Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m).
“I really like Ethereal Star, although she’s not really an early season two-year-old. Instead of giving her another trial, we thought she might as well go around in a six-horse field,” Forsman said.
“If she measures up we might give her one more, if not we’ll turn her out and she’ll make a lovely filly in time.”
Niranjan Parmar will ride Ethereal Star while Kelsey Hannan has been booked for Full Tilt, a half-sister by Charm Spirit to She’s Licketysplit.
“They are quite different. She’s Licketysplit is a bit bigger and she was always going to need a bit of time and this girl is a bit neater and more of a two-year-old type,” Forsman said. “She’s a nice filly and definitely going to win races.”