A drop back in class combined with improved underfoot conditions at Ruakaka has pushed Oneroa to the front of the queue, as far as trainer Andrew Forsman’s best chance of victory at the meeting on Saturday.
The Shooting To Win mare will take on Rating 74 company in the Croft Poles Handicap (1200m) after an unplaced effort at her previous appearance in the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m).
“I like her chances and would have liked them even more if she had drawn a little bit better,” the Cambridge-based Forsman said.
“It’s just an awkward gate (10) and she will probably have to do it tough at some point.
“We have put the blinkers on her and that has sharpened her up a bit. I think she bottomed out on that very heavy track at Tauranga and she’s looking for tracks that aren’t too deep and she’ll get that on Saturday.”
Oneroa’s previous form was sound with third placings at Pukekohe and Avondale to open her current campaign. The four-year-old, winner of three of her 11 starts, will also benefit from Elen Nicholas’ 2kg claim.
Forsman will have four runners in action at Tauranga with a certain amount of intrigue around stable newcomer Express Princess, who will oppose Oneroa in the day’s opener.
The daughter of Shamexpress arrived at the stable at the end of April after winning five races from Richard and Michael Freedman’s Australian stable.
The five-year-old was raced on lease and is now back in the ownership of breeder Rachel Murray, Windsor Park Stud’s Operations Manager and the Cambridge nursery’s Principal Rodney Schick.
“She had a little bit of an injury setback and came home and Rachel had done a bit of pre-training with her at the farm and sent her to me to have a crack,” Forsman said.
“Her Australian form is pretty good and if she runs up to that then you would think she is capable of black type.
“She has got heavy track form, but the work we have done here with her suggests she doesn’t really like very wet tracks and we’ll try and place her accordingly.”
Express Princess has been off the scene for a while, but has the inside gate and will be ridden by 4kg claimer Kelsey Hannan.
“She is forward enough to give a good showing, but she hasn’t raced for over a year so I would imagine she might be a bit rusty,” Forsman said.
“I think Oneroa is our best, provided she gets a bit of luck early on from that awkward draw although Express Princess could easily turn it on if she is on her best form, but I think she may be best with a run or two.”
Turn Me Loose three-year-old Turn The Ace will tackle age group company in the ITM/GIB Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) in a test of his ability at the trip.
“It’s a good opportunity for him to have a go at a mile and not on a really heavy track. If he can run it out, it will give us more options,” Forman said.
Turn The Ace was a runaway winner two runs back over 1200m at Avondale and then finished runner-up under 59.5kg over 100m further at Tauranga. Craig Grylls will retain the mount after consideration was given booking an apprentice.
“I definitely thought about a claim, but he got a bit keen with Craig the other day and he would have learned a lot having ridden the horse,” Forsman said. “We didn’t want to change riders again for sake of two or three kilos.
“Obviously, the weight played against him on a very heavy track last time, but I don’t think it will have so much of an effect this time. We won’t be using that as an excuse.”
Forman’s other runner is Wessex, also by Turn Me Loose, who won with authority last time out at Pukekohe under Hannan, who retains the ride in the ITM/GIB 2YO Winter Championship Winter Series Final (1200m).
“She has trained on really well and her two best performances have been on heavy ground. From that draw (nine), she will have to do a bit more work and hopefully she can go on a slightly better track,” Forsman said.
Another bold showing from Wessex may earn her a crack at black-type in the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) on the final day of the season.
“That’s something we have in the back of our minds, but we’ll get through Saturday first and see.”
