Promising three-year-old Riproar (NZ) (Charm Spirit) has provided trainer Andrew Forsman with his first winner out of his Macedon Lodge quarters when successful at Bendigo on Thursday.
The Kiwi horseman has previously enjoyed good success with raiders from his Cambridge stable, both in a solo capacity and when training in partnership with Hall Of Famer Murray Baker.
Since early winter Forsman has transferred a handful of his progressive and better gallopers to his new Macedon Lodge stables, 45 minutes from Melbourne, and Riproar’s Bendigo triumph is a vote of confidence in the Victorian base.
Riproar is a half-brother to Mr Maestro (NZ) (Savabeel), who campaigned successfully for Forsman in Melbourne last spring, winning the Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) and the Gr.3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) prior to finishing fourth in the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m).
A gelded son of Charm Spirit, Riproar is likely to follow a similar path to his older sibling after defeating older horses in rating 64 company on Thursday.
Ridden by Damian Lane, Riproar came off the back of a slow tempo set by leader Wilmot Pass (Rubick) to score by three-quarters of a length.
“It was a good effort,” Forsman said. “The leader had a picnic in front and he got left flat-footed at the top of the straight and I thought the leader was going to be hard to pick-up, but he did well.
“He is a young horse learning his way as he goes. That was good experience for him to get in amongst horses like that and have to flatten out and chase hard.”
It was Riproar’s third run of the preparation having been beaten a nose at Bendigo when resuming, before a luckless effort when trapped wide at The Valley when seventh to Ambassadorial (Fiorente).
Forsman is confident Riproar will improve further into the preparation, with the three-year-old’s next run to be in the Super Impose Stakes at Flemington on October 7.
“He was a little bit above himself before the race, so I think he will take further improvement,” he said.
“He is a half-brother to Mr Maestro and he shows similar ability. He has got to step up now and go to the next level.
“He is relatively fit but we have plenty of options with the facilities at Macedon Lodge that helps keep their mind fresh and I am sure it will help him heading forward.”
Bred by Windsor Park Stud, Riproar was bought by part-owner John Stubbs for $80,000 as a yearling at Karaka.
