Trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have their fingers crossed they can attain a travel exemption for a couple of staff members ahead of spring racing.
“The horses are coming up well, that is the main thing, and we have got some good options ahead of us. What path we take will be dictated to by the COVID situation over in Australia over the next two or three weeks,” Forsman said.
“The thought is to get some staff members there, it is just working through the logistics of that. Once we have got that sorted we can make further plans.”
The Cambridge training partnership kicked off the spring preparations of a couple of Australian-bound hopefuls at the Te Rapa trials on Tuesday, including Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) aspirants The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) and Quick Thinker (So You Think).
The Chosen One got up to win his 1100m heat over Mirazur and his trainers were pleased with the way he finished off.
“It was a very game effort because he was giving the horse that kicked (Mirazur) a fair start and I thought it was a very gutsy effort to do what he did because he has still got heaps of improvement,” Forsman said.
“He would have felt the pinch a little bit late, but it was great to see him come back.
“He is still and entire and still very genuine.”
Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) winner Quick Thinker finished towards the tail of the field in his 1100m trial, but Forsman wasn’t discouraged by the rising four-year-old’s first public hit-out.
“Quick Thinker has never trialled well in the past and he is probably not as adept left-handed as he is right-handed,” he said.
“He has come back in really good condition, probably too good of condition, and we are taking just a little bit longer to get the pudding off him.
“He is an older entire now and is just a few gallops behind where he’ll normally be at this time of year.”
Group One winner True Enough (NZ) (Nom du Jeu) is another horse Forsman is hoping to campaign in Australia this spring and Forsman was pleased with his runner-up performance in his 1100m heat behind Australian stakes winner Big Mike (NZ) (Don Eduardo).
“He is coming up really well, he is an underrated horse,” Forsman said. “He is very genuine and just seems to be improving with age.
“He wouldn’t be disgraced in the weight-for-age ranks in Sydney or Melbourne. He is a horse we are hoping to get over, but when and where is yet to be decided.”
Soon to be three-year-olds Suffused (Choisir) and Unition (Fastnet Rock) both trialled well and will be contenders for spring features.
