"The track conditions are crucial for her because she has proven she can handle heavy tracks and plenty of others maybe haven't yet," said Forsman.
"So we have more or less decided she will go there and we will accept with and the only thing that would change that would be if the Hastings track dried out a lot, but I doubt that will be the case."
Mustang Valley was one of two winners at Awapuni for Forsman on Saturday and he sits a clear third on the premiership with 10 wins, two of them at black type level.
Just as importantly he has serious chances in group one races in Australia with Lickety Split in the 1000 Guineas at Caulfield in two weeks and Mr Maestro and Saint Bathans both looking genuine Victoria Derby contenders.
He also has a domestic strike rate of under 5 (a winner every five starts) which has always been an important indicator of how the stable is going for the young trainer.
Not so sure
While every rain drop that falls on the Hasting's track increases Mustang Valley's chances of being there on Saturday the opposite is true for Arrowfield favourite Imperatriz.
Trainer Mark Walker says he will wait until at least Tuesday afternoon before deciding whether to accept with the star four-year-old mare but after being beaten out of a place in the Tarzino she will be unlikely to start on a heavy surface.
"It is all about the track for us and I am not a weather man so I really don't know if we will be going or not," says Walker.
"We will look at the weather and forecast on Tuesday and if she doesn't go she won't race anywhere else next weekend so we don't have that pressure on us.
"But if she doesn't start this Saturday her next start will be in Australia."
While Imperatriz's trip to Hastings is in doubt stablemate Dynastic is confirmed for the Hawkes Bay Guineas on Saturday ($2.60 TAB favourite) as he handled the heavy like a pro there last start.
Worth a second look
Pinarello's comeback at Rosehill on Saturday may not have set tongues wagging but his best part of the race was after it was over.
The Kiwi-trained Queensland Derby winner was always likely to find the 1500m of the Shannon Stakes too short and he lost momentum, crucial for a stayer, early in the home straight. He wasn't ridden out when it became obvious he couldn't run a place but he was still making ground late and actually ran up behind the leaders after the line, suggesting a step up in distance next start with his fitness improved should see him far more competitive.
Butler's brave rider
Apprentice Tayla Mitchell impressed good judges both on and off the track last week.
She was involved in a nasty fall at Matamata last Wednesday that left her with bad bruising but was back riding trackwork on Friday determined to partner hot favourite Butler in the open 1200m at Awapuni.
She handled him perfectly with a no panic ride and also won the preceding race on Corinne.
Her double takes her to nine wins for the season and now 16 in her career from just over 130 rides and she sits well on horses, riding tight and without excessive moment. Mitchell is the daughter of thoroughbred trainer Tarissa Macdonald and four-time NZ Cup-winning harness racing driver Todd Mitchell.
