Andrew Forsman will be represented by his first runners in his own right on Saturday following a long and successful training partnership with Murray Baker.
The Cambridge horseman enjoyed multiple Group One successes with the now retired Baker and will mark the next phase in his career with black-type runners at home and away.
“I’m looking forward to it and it’s just really a continuation of things so we’ll line up and go again,” Forsman said.
Westwood will step out in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa, where stablemate Abeyance will also be in action in the Dunstan Race Day Maiden (1400m), while Meritable makes his Australian debut in the Gr.3 Brandon’s Gold Coast Guineas (1200m).
At her last appearance, Charm Spirit’s daughter Westwood romped away with the Equine Centre Prelude, in which she had the benefit of apprentice Niranjan Parmar’s 3kg claim, and with no allowances on Saturday will carry her carded 55kg.
“She was very good and obviously she won’t have that pull in the weights this time around, but the way Te Rapa has been playing will definitely suit her,” Forsman said.
“She had to do a fair bit of work last time to get across and it was a pretty bold effort to keep up a gallop like she did.
“She is a free-going sort of horse and she will jump and put herself right there. I’m sure she will give a good sight again.”
To be partnered by Matthew Cameron, Westwood has been out twice this preparation and Forsman is likely to press on with the filly after the weekend.
“We’ll see how she goes and if she runs well and is thereabouts there is probably no reason not to keep going with her. She’s straight-forward and handles everything well,” he said.
Stablemate Abeyance, who will be ridden by Michael McNab, was fourth in last season’s Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes on debut and the Written Tycoon filly didn’t reappear until last month when she finished fifth at Rotorua.
“She was just a bit fresh having had such a long time off the scene. She went into it a bit full of herself and had to work from a wide draw and just peaked on her run,” Forsman said.
“From a better barrier draw we will ride her a bit more conservatively. She has been immature and is a big, rangy filly who is only going to get better with time.
“It would be nice to get a win on the board this preparation and then put her aside and look forward to seeing her as a more mature horse next time around.”
Talented Snitzel colt Meritable hasn’t raced since he finished runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in the spring. He is forward to resume with the only concerns an awkward gate and rain-affected going at the Gold Coast, where he will be ridden by William Pike.
“He is thriving, but it’s hard to know as it’s going to be a wet track and I don’t really know how he will handle it,” Forsman said.
“The only time he has been on a bad track was in a trial at Ellerslie one day and he hated it, so really it’s a watch and see.
“He needs to run to have him ready for the Fred Best Classic (Gr.3, 1400m) in a few weeks. He is going well and from a wide draw he will go back, that might end up being a good thing on Saturday and it just depends how much rain they get.”
