Racing: New Zealand set for first Caulfield Cup rep in three years - Mick on Monday

Positivity (centre) won at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo / Bruno Cannatelli

There is just something about Andrew Forsman and the Caulfield Cup.

The Cambridge trainer is set to give New Zealand its first rep in the great race in three years after Positivity won her way in via the A$5million race in the MRC Foundation Cup on Saturday.

The 4-year-old daughter of Almanzor showed great fight in a four-way finish to earn the golden ticket into the Caulfield Cup on October 19.

“It was a race that wasn’t originally on her radar, but now she is guaranteed a start and might only have to carry 50kg we will probably go for it,” says Forsman.

“Her main aim was the Bart Cummings [Flemington, October 5] and she will still go there and then into the Caulfield Cup.”

Positivity appears to be getting better with every start and has the ability to race on the speed, often handy at Caulfield, but Forsman says if the next month goes well he wouldn’t rule out a Melbourne Cup bid.

While Kiwi representatives in the Caulfield Cup are rarer than they used to be, Forsman and former training partner Murray Baker had an affinity with the race.

They trained the last New Zealander to start in the Caulfield Cup, The Chosen One, who ran only 14th in 2021 but was third to Verry Elleegant in 2020 and ninth in 2019.

They had Jon Snow start in 2018 and 2017 when he was joined in the Cup by stablemate Bonneval, while Mongolian Khan won the Caulfield Cup for them in 2015.

Positivity’s win on Saturday was a shining moment in what has been a quiet spring for New Zealand-trained gallopers in Victoria, although Te Akau has had recent Saturday wins with Bellatrix Star and Quintessa are trained out of their Cranbourne base.

While Kiwis in the two big cups are few and far between these days, if Positivity makes it to the Melbourne Cup she could be joined by fellow New Zealand-trained stayers Sharp N Smart and Mahrajaan.

Positivity is rated a $26 chance in the Caulfield Cup, a market headed by former South Island galloper Warmonger.

First Group 1

Pukekohe harness trainer Vaughan Blanchard trained his first Group 1 winner when Beetastic stunned punters at Alexandra Park on Saturday night.

The juvenile filly came from last to win the $102,000 Caduceus Club Classic paying $75 at the meeting that was transferred from Friday after heavy rain caused damage to the track.

Beetastic is trained by Blanchard and his father Peter and former New Zealand jockeys Lee Magorrian and Rory Hutchings, now based in New South Wales, share in the ownership.

“They were watching it in a pub in Sydney and were making so much noise when she won they got kicked out,” laughed Blanchard.

Saturday night’s other Alex Park feature pace saw Miracle Mile runner-up Sooner The Better get a rare win over stablemate Merlin in the Spring Cup.

Merlin had to concede Sooner The Better a 20m start and ran him to a neck and looks the leading local hope in the IRT New Zealand Cup at Addington on November 12, the market for which is dominated by Australian champion Leap To Fame.

Waverley transfer

Yesterday’s Waverley thoroughbred meeting was called off after one race as lightning and heavy rain made it unsafe.

The remaining eight races will now be staged there tomorrow.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s racing editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.