Racing: Andrew Forsman has tricks and treats to win the Derby

Training Derby winners is a hands-on job for Cambridge horseman Andrew Forsman. Photo / Trish Dunell

When you train a lot of Derby winners you learn a few tricks along the way.

One of those tricks was on display on Tuesday when Kiwi three-year-old Mr Maestro rounded out his preparation for tomorrow's A$2 million Victoria Derby at Flemington.

Mr Maestro is trained by Andrew Forsman, the Cambridge horseman who turned 40 on Wednesday and is in his first season of training under his own name after a decade alongside Murray Baker.

Baker was the grand master of taking raw-boned New Zealand three-year-olds to Australia and winning derbies, so Forsman learned from the best and he has applied those lessons to Mr Maestro's prep for tomorrow's showdown.

Mr Maestro, who has won his last three starts, galloped with high-class stablemate She's Licketysplit on Tuesday, the latter preparing for the A$1m Empire Rose at Flemington tomorrow.

They galloped well but Mr Maestro was asked for more, being ridden through the line after She's Licketysplit had been allowed to ease down.

"That is something we have tried to do with Derby horses, just ask that little bit more of them if they can handle it," explained Forsman. "We were able to do that on Tuesday because this horse is exactly where we need him to be.

"Murray and I had quite lot of success in derbies, and Murray obviously on his own before that, and one thing I learned was that the preparation is so vital.

"That doesn't mean you are always going to win but it is a crucial element to giving yourself the best possible chance and this horse has had that prep.

"He has raced in all the races we wanted and been able to gallop when we wanted so he is spot on."

Sadly for his connections, Mr Maestro drew barrier 17 and rival Sharp 'N' Smart perfectly at barrier three.

"The barrier really doesn't help. That is the one thing that hasn't gone his way this prep, but we can't control that."

Forsman says he can't quite line up how She's Licketysplit fits into the Empire Rose with just 49kg on her back.

She's Licketysplit will start from barrier 8, and fellow Kiwi contender La Crique got barrier 10.

"I know our filly is pretty good and maybe very good but we don't know how strong the three-year-old fillies ranks will prove to be," says Forsman.

"We know La Crique is really good but this is her first race away from home. Still, I wouldn't be surprised if she is simply the best horse.

"But we have a good filly with a light weight and a decent barrier so I know she will go a big race."