The Melbourne arm of Andrew Forsman’s operation has been boosted by the arrival of feature race contenders Positivity (NZ) (Almanzor) and Good Oil (NZ) (Dalghar).
The Cambridge trainer dispatched the quality duo to his Flemington stable earlier this week to prepare for upcoming feature race assignments.
“They arrived there on Wednesday and have travelled well and settling in nicely,” Forsman said.
Almanzor filly Positivity has made great strides this preparation and progressed from a maiden success to claim the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m) and last time out finished runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
“She will run in the Australasian Oaks (Gr.1, 2000m) on April 27 at Morphettville,” Forsman said.
“Depending how she performs, we can either run her in the Derby (Gr.1, 2500m) or there’s a Group Three 2500m race (SA Fillies’ Classic).
“We put her out for a week after the Oaks to freshen-up and she came back into work and she’s up to the mark.
“Obviously, back to the 2000m she will be better on the fresh side, and she has retained her fitness.”
Stablemate Good Oil has been one of the surprise movers through the staying ranks this year and finished third in both the Gr.3 Avondale Cup (2400m) and the Nathans Memorial (2200m) before he ran second in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m).
“He’s done a great job and certainly exceeded my expectations, he just keeps stepping up and every time we raised the bar he’s been up to the challenge,” Forsman said.
“He’ll run in the Mornington Cup (Listed, 2400m) on Saturday week and the idea would be to then run in the Andrew Ramsden (Listed, 2800m) at Flemington.
“Whether he runs in between times is still be to worked out, but there is the Warrnambool Cup (Listed, 2350m).”
Forsman is also plotting stakes targets for Flemington residents Mr Maestro (NZ) (Savabeel), a resuming fifth in the Gr.3 Victoria Handicap (1400m), and last-start Geelong winner Riproar (NZ) (Charm Spirit).
“Mr Maestro was great in a really tough race, it was the only suitable one to get him going and he held his own against seasoned horses,” Forsman said.
“We’ve got no grand plans and on the same day as Positivity runs in Adelaide there’s an open mile so we might give him a trip as well.
“Riproar came through his run well and there’s the Mornington Guineas (1600m) on Saturday week so ideally we’d like to have a go at that.”
Meanwhile, Forsman will have a quartet of runners at Otaki on Saturday, headed by recent winner Sporting Chance (Dundeel) in the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m).
“He won on a firm track at Ellerslie and it will be different on Saturday, but he has showed the ability to handle an off track so I don’t think it will worry him,” Forsman said.
Mr Mojo Risin’ (NZ) (Deep Field) will be second-up in the Vets On Riverbank Handicap (1400m), Wyndsong (NZ) (Wyndspelle) tackles the McMillan Equine Feeds 2YO (1300m) off the back of a debut fourth and Milanese (NZ) (Zed) had little luck first time out and runs in The Tele Otaki Maiden (1600m).
“I quite like all of them and think Mr Mojo Risin’ will be hard to beat, he just needed the run the other day and carried a big weight (59.5kg) so the claim (3kg) will certainly help him,” Forsman said.
