Waikato-trained mare Forfar has earned a trip to Sydney by winning the $50,000 NZ St Leger for three and four-year-olds at Trentham.
The four-year-old will make her Sydney debut in the $A70,000 Manion Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on March 31 and is also likely to tackle the $A500,000 Chairman's Handicap (2400m) at Randwick on April 14.
"There's not much for her here and I would like to keep her going while she's going well," trainer Paul O'Sullivan said after Saturday's win.
"She's a good, strong staying mare, in good form.
"But she will probably have just the two races in Sydney and then go out.
"She's not in the Sydney Cup and I don't think she needs to run two miles (3200m) at this stage of her career."
Forfar's Sydney campaign was confirmed yesterday, after O'Sullivan discussed the options with part-owner Sir James Fletcher.
O'Sullivan won both the Manion and the Chairman's last year, with Pravda, who is part-owned by Fletcher's son Hugh.
O'Sullivan has always had a high opinion of Forfar and took her to Adelaide last season for the South Australian Oaks in which she ran last.
"She's probably got more dash and acceleration than Pravda but has taken time," O'Sullivan said.
"She also gets back in her races, which has meant she's had a lot of bad luck. But I have always thought there was a good race in her.
Forfar, O'Sullivan's only runner at Trentham on Saturday, has had three wins and two placings from her six middle-distance starts this season.
The Wallenda mare cost $35,000 as a yearling at the National Yearling Sales at Karaka but as a group three winner from a good family, she would be worth considerably more now.
She is the eighth winner left by Majestic Angel, a group winner herself and a sister to the One Thousand Guineas winner Imperial Angel.
Fletcher, who races Forfar with his wife Vaughan, is aged 86 but rarely misses seeing his horses race. He recalled he raced his first horse in 1934 and his first win was in 1936.
He is a life member of the Wellington Racing Club and his big wins at Trentham include a Wellington Cup with Rustler, and the Telegraph Handicap with Mr Tiz (twice) and Morar.
He also won the inaugural Wakefield Stakes in 1962 with Blyton.
- NZPA
Racing: St Leger brings trip to Sydney
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