Racing: Mustang Valley without a jockey ahead of big race

Mustang Valley. Photo / Trish Dunell

Usually when a trainer is waiting on the scratchings for a Group 1 race it is because they are hoping to get into the field or some relief from a bad barrier draw.

But heading into tomorrow’s A$3 million Doncaster in Sydney, Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman is waiting to get a jockey.

Forsman trains Livamol Classic winner Mustang Valley, who has moved from $201 to $34 in the market for the Doncaster after making the field with 51kg and then drawing well at barrier three.

Just as importantly, there has been some rain in Sydney with a forecast for more, and while Forsman thinks Mustang Valley is more than just a wet tracker he realises rain would slow down some of the dry tracker local gallopers, so the wetter the better for Mustang Valley.

But she won’t be going anywhere without a jockey and Mustang Valley was in the rare situation yesterday of being in a major Group 1 without a declared jockey.

Because almost all runners in the Doncaster are carrying 54kg or less and plenty down as low as 51kg, Forsman is waiting for one of the high-quality jockeys already committed to a balloted runner to become available if they are scratched.

Forsman says Mustang Valley is a realistic top-five chance or even better. But having had Aegon run ninth in the All-Star Mile two weeks ago, he has recent experience in how tough the big Australian mile races can be.

“She is in there with a light weight and good draw so it is a good race for her to have a crack at,” says Forsman. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if she goes a big race.”

Forsman will also saddle Full Of Sincerity in the Australian Derby, a race that has been kind to him and former partner Murray Baker, but the NZ Derby placegetter has been slapped with barrier 16.

“That doesn’t help,” says Forsman.

“He will need a lot of luck from out there but so too will Sharp ‘N’ Smart (17) so it could be a really tough race for a few horses.”

New Zealand also has Andalus and Mark Twain in the Derby and they have good draws. So the great Kiwi record in the Derby could continue, giving our three-year-old crop their fourth Group 1 win in Australia this season.

As tricky as the two Group 1s at Randwick on the first day of The Championships will be, Forsman has two barely known talents in the second-last Group 1 of the New Zealand season tomorrow, the $350,000 Sires’ Produce at Awapuni.

The two-year-old event is dominated in the market by Trobriand with the Mark Walker/Opie Bosson combo, but Forsman says Riproar and Aprilia deserve their spot in the race.

“At this stage of the season if you have horses showing the promise they are, and both winning their last start, a shot at the last Group 1 makes sense. There isn’t a lot between them so they can both go big races but Riproar has a far better draw.”

Trobriand had been $1.90 in the futures markets for the Sires’ Produce for the last fortnight but got out to $2.10 when the final field market was declared because of the market percentages reducing.

After drawing barrier two, if the Awapuni track in Palmerston North stays decent he is likely to start odds-on after a sharp trial win last week, having been one of our best juveniles all season, and the other biggest names all being absent from tomorrow’s event.