Former successful apprentice jockey Alex Forbes now wears a number of hats within the thoroughbred industry and has successfully added to his variety of roles with his first winner as a trainer.
The 26-year-old prepared Mandalo to score at Waverley on Sunday with the four-year-old’s maiden victory all the more memorable as family members are involved in the ownership of the son of Ekraar.
“He has been going very well, he’s honest and tries very hard and I think he will only get better with time,” he said.
“He’s still got to strengthen up a little bit and he’ll probably be even better next year to be honest.”
Placed in four consecutive attempts before he convincingly broke his maiden over 1650m, Mandalo came to Forbes from breeder Monovale Holdings.
“I was able to give a share to my mother Sheryl and my grandmother Caroline Tims (mother of former top jockey Peter) and a good family friend Ross MacFarlane,” Forbes said.
Racing runs deep in the Forbes family with his father Graeme, a former jockey and trainer, assisting him in his Te Awamutu operation and his brothers Lance and Mark are also heavily involved in the industry.
Lance is the Yearling Manager at Yarraman Park Stud, while Mark runs Kiltannon Stables at Cambridge.
“I’ve been at Te Awamutu for about a year now on (former trainer) Robert Priscott’s property and it’s working out really well,” Alex Forbes said.
“I love it and Robert has been very good to me and I’ve learned a lot off him. Dad drives the truck and helps me out as well.”
Training aside, Forbes is carving out a name for himself as a breaker and pre-trainer.
“It’s all working out well and there’s usually between 40 and 60 horses here,” he said.
“I’m doing mostly pre-trainers and breakers and I started training a few, trial horses mainly that we’re trying to sell and I got hooked on it.
“I’ve got a few more racing ones now and really enjoying that side of things. I’ve got 10 in the racing team at the moment.
“I’m doing 12 for the Ready to Run Sale as well, a few of them will go back home to the studs for them to sell and the others will be put through by my brother Mark.”
Before increasing weight ended his career in the saddle, Forbes rode 98 winners in New Zealand and enjoyed success in Australia during a Melbourne stint with Leon Corstens.
On his return, he lined up with Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh and won the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint on stable runner Savour The Moment and the Listed Matamata Cup on Ralph Manning’s Innovation.
Due to increasing weight which would ultimately end his career in the saddle, Forbes also turned his hand to riding over hurdles before joining his father in China where he had accepted a role as a trainer.
“When Dad was training up there I had a couple of stints with him as well,” he said.
“The first year I was riding and the second year was half-pie riding and training and I learned a fair bit up there, it was a good experience.”
