“He was fourth behind the three favourites for the All Star Mile on Saturday and he was also fourth behind Alligator Blood and Mr Brightside in the A$3million mile at Flemington in November so his 1400m-1600m form this season has been very good.”
The favourites for the All Star Mile, Alligator Blood, I’m Thunderstruck and Mr Brightside, will all be in the top 10 public votes so are guaranteed a start but there may not be much elite level competition for Aegon in the five wild card slots.
Even if he is not in the first 15 picked, all is not lost as there was a high attrition rate among leading contenders last year when horses well down the original list got a start.
The slight uncertainty around whether Aegon gets into the field means Forsman can’t plan his prep as meticulously as he would like to, so he is pressing on as if he will get a start and if he doesn’t he will send him to Sydney for George Ryder Stakes the same day.
Forsman had a rollercoaster day with the rest of his Australian team on Saturday, starting with the low of star filly She’s Licketysplit suffering a minor internal bleed when finishing second last in her race at Sandown.
“It wasn’t that bad and she isn’t being declared a bleeder but she will need a vet certificate before she races next so she will come home for a spell,” says the Cambridge trainer.
His 3-year-old colt Mr Maestro was a strong second to a dominant Pericles in the A$300,000 Autumn Stakes and will drop back from 1800m to 1600m to take on Legarto and the leading local males in the Australian Guineas at Flemington on Saturday.
Forsman had no luck with Mustang Valley when she was denied room until late running third at Randwick.
Derby date
One of the final pieces of the NZ Derby puzzle fell into place on Saturday but another has been taken off the table.
Last season’s Karaka Million winner Dynastic won his way back into the Derby with an impressive victory in the Matamata mud thrashing the older horses to give jockey Opie Bosson four wins for the day.
But while he has returned to Derby form, Waikato Guineas winner Loosespender has not.
He is in the paddock after a minor setback at the wrong time and he won’t be at Te Rapa next Saturday.
Market moves
Imperatriz’s change of Australian targets to the Canterbury Stakes at Randwick this Saturday has boosted New Zealand’s stocks in Sydney’s major races to an unexpected high. New Zealand-trained horses now provide the favourites with Australian bookmakers in four Group 1s there over the next six weeks.
Imperatriz is the $3.50 equal favourite with Artorius for the A$600,000 Canterbury Stakes in which she will be ridden by James McDonald.
NZ Derby favourites Sharp N Smart and Prowess are the respective favourites for Sydney’s classics the ATC Derby and ATC Oaks in April while Legarto is favourite for the Vinery Stakes on March 25.
