Elle Sourit remained unbeaten with her win at Ellerslie on Champions Day. Photo / Megan Liefting
Trainer Andrew Forsman is weighing up between two black-type targets for his unbeaten mare Elle Sourit.
And her performance in the Waikato Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Mile at Te Aroha today will dictate which path she takes.
The four-year-old daughter of Ocean Park has shown plenty of ability to date, winning all four of her starts, including last start in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Final (1400m) in front of a bumper crowd at Ellerslie on Champions Day.
“It is a race we had set her for for a little while so it was nice to get the result and Sam [McNab] rode her very well,” Forsman said.
“She has come through that first-up run well, we wanted to give her a little bit of time to get over it and I am very happy with her.”
Forsman will now head to Te Aroha with her on a fact-finding mission, with the Cambridge trainer eager to see how she performs over a mile, with next month’s Group 3 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m) and Group 2 Travis Stakes (2000m) both on the radar.
“We are probably thinking the Easter, but that all depends on how she performs at a mile, so we will decide whether it is the Easter or we wait another week and go to the Travis over a little bit further,” Forsman said.
Elle Sourit will be joined in Saturday’s race by stablemate Pacifico.
“I thought his run last start [seventh in Group 2 Japan Trophy, 1600m] was full of merit,” Forsman said. “He is probably better off in the weights this time around.
“He is going to lap up the rain that has been around. He has taken a couple of runs to get to fitness, but he is near peak now.”
Privy Garden is also on trial for a tilt at the Easter Handicap, with the So You Think mare first-up in the Capistrano Lodge (1400m) after a couple of pleasing trials; however, she may be saved for next week if conditions get too testing overnight.
“She is going very well,” Forsman said. “She is one we would like to get a run into and potentially consider running in the Easter.
“Whether she wants a testing track first-up or not is something we will have to consider, but she can wait until next Saturday if we think it is too wet.”
Three-year-old gelding Tomahawk is in the same boat, with Forsman keeping a close eye on the weather before finalising his tilt at the Longlands Stud 3YO (1400m).
“We threw him in the deep end last start [when last in the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy on Champions Day], he raced very greenly,” Forsman said.
“We have put the blinkers on and hopefully that will sharpen him up a little bit.
“It is unknown how he will handle the track conditions so we will have to make a call on him on raceday as to what we do with him. He is going well and is the sort of horse that will get better with time.”
Forsman will also be represented at Te Aroha by last-start winner Morning Cocoa in the Towes Insurance 1600 and Mad Max in the Manco 1150.
“I thought it was a very nice first-up win [by Morning Cocoa], up to a mile suits and she will handle the wet track better than most. I expect her to be a good each-way chance again,” Forsman said.
“It was another very good run on an on-pace track at Tauranga last start [by Mad Max].
“I thought his run was as good as anything in the race, so hopefully it is a bit more even pattern of racing. He will find his way to the back half of the field, but he will be hitting the line strongly.”
Meanwhile, Forsman will head south to Trentham with Mary Shan to contest the Group 1 Listen Live On Sportnation.nz NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, and he is looking forward to stepping her back up to a mile.
“She was in desperate need of a mile last start Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Classic, 1400m], she drew out and never got into the race at Ellerslie,” Forsman said.
“The only query is that she has been up and going a fair while now and had a bit of hard racing. She looks to be well within herself at home and has trained on well and hopefully she has got one big one left in her.”
– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk