Group Two winner Yaldi will return to age-group company at Te Rapa on Sunday in preparation for a feature target at the course later this month.
The big-striding son of Ardrossan won the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) on Boxing Day and progressed on to the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), where he finished seventh. After a freshen-up, Yaldi was right back to his best when resuming at Tauranga, only going down narrowly to classy mare Grande Gallo in open company.
“I was very happy, his sectionals were really good, and it was just an evenly-run race and it was hard to get back and out into the middle of the track and make the ground like he did,” trainer Andrew Forsman said. “The winner is a handy horse and she got the split late, and a bob of the head was the only difference. His run was as good as a win for us.”
Contesting the stable-sponsored Forsman Racing 3YO (1200m), Yaldi will be among the favourites in a competitive line-up, many of which will likely return for the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) on April 26.
“The plan from here is to go to the Breeders’ Stakes at Te Rapa at the end of the month, so this is very much to keep him up to the mark heading to that,” Forsman said.
Unfavourable barrier draws have placed a number of Forsman’s runners in doubt for the meeting, including Belle Noire, a juvenile filly who finished runner-up to stakes-bound stablemate The Espy on debut at Tauranga.
“She was very brave and it was a good effort for a first time out, it’s never easy with just the one trial,” he said. “That being said, she did draw one and have all favours that day, so from an awkward gate, she’s probably a doubtful starter on Sunday.
“We were going to spell The Espy, but he’s come through that run really well, so we’re keeping the option open of going to Ellerslie for the Listed race (Star Way Stakes, 1200m) there next Saturday.”
Forsman is hoping to see the best of enigmatic galloper Mr Mojo Risin’ in the BCD Group 1400, after performing below expectations when sixth in the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) a fortnight ago.
“He’s just frustrating at times, he mixes his form with no real reason why,” he said. “That was the case at Trentham, I thought he had an easy enough time in front so we’ve decided to put the blinkers on and hopefully that can sharpen him up a bit.”
Returning from a spell will be Force Of Nature, a Milan Park-owned gelding who put together a tidy form line in the spring before avoiding the firm surfaces.
“We just wanted to avoid firm summer tracks with him, we wanted to give him some time to strengthen up and mature,” Forsman said.
“Whether he runs from an awkward enough draw (8) I’m not sure, but he hasn’t had a trial, so we could probably treat this weekend as a trial knowing that 1200m on the faster side over that trip is probably a bit sharp. I think he’ll progress on to 1400 and even a mile this preparation, which will be more up his alley.”
