As is commonplace with trainers of four-year-old mares going into spring, Andrew Forsman is wary about where Positivity (NZ) ( Almanzor) will fit in among the older more seasoned stayers.
Positivity proved she was one of the better staying three-year-old fillies with a last-start Group 3 win in the SA Fillies Classic over 2500 metres at Morphettville in May to accompany her second in the New Zealand Oaks.
Positivity will make her spring return in the Heatherlie Stakes(1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Forsman said Positivity had been nominated for the Caulfield Cup, but at this stage that was a hit and hope mission.
“You’ve got to put the nomination in. If she’s racing well then it would be lovely to end up in a Caulfield Cup,” Forsman said.
“It’s harder when you’re going up against more seasoned older horses.
“She’s coming out of running against her own age, and she ran well enough. She’s a mare who will improve with time, but it’s always hard for these sorts of mares and we’ll find out whether it’s a bridge too far or not; it’s really hard to know.
“Her first couple of runs back will tell us whether she’s quite going to be a spring prospect.
“We’ll be giving her the chance to do it and get one or two runs in, and then we may decide it’s better to just give her a bit more time.”
Forsman is taking a similar approach with lightly raced three-year-old gelding Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan), who will resume in the McNeil Stakes.
Yaldi had two starts as a two-year-old for a win at Pukehoe and a third at Flemington behind Epimeles.
“He’s still pretty raw and learning, but he looks like he’s got good ability,” he said.
“He’s kicking off in a good race and there weren’t a lot of options in New Zealand with the wet tracks as he’ll be better on a good track.”
“We’ll give him a go here and probably just have a three or four-run campaign here and then get him home for summer and possibly come back for the Australian Guineas.”
