Group Two winner Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan) will return to the races on Saturday at Tauranga in the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m), with a view to sticking to shorter trips.
The three-year-old son of Ardrossan was tested over a mile for the first time in January’s Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), finishing midfield, and trainer Andrew Forsman believes he is best suited to sprint distances.
“He had a little freshen-up after trying him at the mile, and he probably just didn’t run it out,” the Cambridge horseman said.
Prior to resuming this weekend, Yaldi was strong late when winning his 1100m trial at Taupo last week, giving Forsman plenty of confidence ahead of his resuming run.
“He has always had a lot of natural ability,” Forsman said of the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) victor. “He is still a big horse, and I think the best of him is yet to come, once he fills out into his frame and strengthens up.
“He has always performed better fresh over shorter trips and hopefully that is the case on Saturday.”
Stakes assignments await Yaldi in the coming months if he performs up to expectations, with a Queensland campaign in the offing if he shows enough over autumn at home.
“It is very much race-by-race at this stage,” Forsman said. “The Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) is an option and then potentially there are some nice races for him into the Brisbane winter if he was up to it.”
Group One-winning stablemate Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls) will also head to Tauranga this weekend where he will contest the Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) following his unplaced run in the Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie last month.
“He is much better off at set weights and penalties back to this company,” Forsman said. “He finally gets a decent barrier draw (5), so hopefully he can use that and be midfield, or slightly worse, and if they go quickly enough he should get his chance.”
Further south, Forsman will send three runners to Wanganui’s Saturday meeting, with an elite-level target in the offing for Cashla Bay (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) if she performs well in the Wanganui Insurance Brokers 2YO 1200.
The Oaks Stud-bred and raced filly was fifth on debut in the Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m) last month before placing over 1150m at Te Aroha, and Forsman is expecting an improved showing this weekend.
“She took on very good company first time out, and she was quite unlucky to say the least last time at Te Aroha,” he said.
“If she can win a race like this, she could be a chance of heading to the Manawatu Sires’ (Gr.1, 1400m), so that is why she is going down.”
Stablemate Privy Garden will be shooting for back-to-back wins in the Mr Swabby 25 Years 1600, and Forsman believes she is up to the task.
“She won well last start,” he said. “It is a decent enough step up in grade, when you are going from (rating) 65 to 75 it always is, but I think the quick back-up should suit.
“She was very fresh the other day with a decent gap between runs, so we are hoping that has taken the edge off her and she relaxes a bit better in the run this Saturday and takes that next step up.”
Forsman’s Wanganui contingent will be rounded out by Mr Mojo Risin’ (NZ) (Deep Field) in the Wanganui-Taranaki Racehorse Owners Association Open (1340m).
“He ran the other day and didn’t have a lot of luck, so we are hoping he can bounce back to his better form,” Forsman said. “A race like the Easter (Gr.3, 1600m) is something that we have in-mind for him, so we just needed to find a race somewhere for him to have him ready.
“He might have this and then one other, and then once he gets up to the mile he will be better suited.”
Meanwhile, Forsman was pleased with the resuming trial of promising three-year-old Transaction (NZ) (Ocean Park) at Ellerslie on Tuesday, when placing in her 1100m heat behind Group One winner Velocious.
“Transaction is a lightly-tried three-year-old filly that we think a bit of and she returned very well,” he said. “She was quite fresh and needed it off a bit of a break.
“If she can get another win on the board as a three-year-old then some options will open up for her.”
