The Andrew Forsman-trained Riproar (NZ) (Charm Spirit) looks to have inherited some of the family ability, with the gelding a comfortable winner of the Campbell Infrastructure 2YO (1215m) at Rotorua on Thursday at his second start.
Ridden by Wiremu Pinn, Riproar proved too good for Sassy Lass (NZ) (Staphanos) and Balance Of Power (NZ) (Almanzor) in a four-horse field, winning by just over two lengths.
“Obviously it was only a small field and he had all favours but he had learnt a lot from his first start,” Forsman said.
“Prior to that first run at Pukekohe he hadn’t had a grass trial or a trip away from home and he was entitled to a lot of improvement, so it was nice to see him put it together.”
A son of Charm Spirit, Riproar is a half-brother to Group Three winning stablemate Mr Maestro (NZ) (Savabeel), who contests Saturday’s Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m). They are out of Let Me Roar (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), a Group Two placed half-sister to multiple Group One winner Lion Tamer (NZ) (Storming Home).
“He is a lot bigger than Mr Maestro and they are out of a good mare that stamps them with a fair bit of quality,” Forsman said.
“He shows a fair bit of natural speed but he has got scope to get at least a mile, so it was a bit of a bonus with a big horse like him to get a result as a two-year-old, so we will see how we go.”
The TAB reacted to the victory by shortening Riproar into a $10 chance for the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni on April 1, but Forsman warned it was not necessarily on the agenda.
“The Sires’ might be a little bit sharp for him but it depends how that race is shaping up closer to the time,” Forsman said.
“If we do keep him ticking over I was thinking of aiming towards a Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1600m) perhaps and then that might set him up well for the spring.”
Bred by Windsor Park Stud, Riproar was bought by part-owner John Stubbs for $80,000 as a yearling.
