Ellerslie has been a happy hunting ground for Andrew Forsman is years past, and the Cambridge trainer was thrilled to find success swiftly during the track’s reopening meeting on Sunday.
Of his five representatives, all but one finished in the top three, headlined by a classy front-running performance from Fortunate Son in the Bent Down On One Knee Ben Masters 1500m.
A three-year-old son of U S Navy Flag, Fortunate Son was a promising 1400m victor on debut at Arawa Park in November and relished the step-up in grade when splitting talented gallopers Snazzytavi and Tanganyika at Te Rapa a fortnight later.
Another challenge was set for the gelding at Ellerslie, contesting the likes of multiple Group One-placed filly Tulsi, and Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) placegetters in Talisker and To Catch A Thief, but jockey Joe Doyle took the race into his own hands early in proceedings. Fortunate Son set a leisurely pace out in front and looked ominous turning for home in a sit-and-sprint battle, eventually holding out a blanket of late-challengers headed by Tulsi to score by a head.
“He did have a few favours out in front, he had to work to get there from the wide draw, but Joe set a pretty sedate pace that allowed him to sprint hard off the turn. But, when you’re being chased down by some quality horses like he was, I thought it was a great effort to hold them off,” Forsman said.
“He did go into the race fresh, we’d given him a quiet time since his last start so it was good to get away with that and get such a strong win.”
Fortunate Son currently holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) in March, a race Forsman found dual-success in while training in partnership with Murray Baker, though the distance remains in question for the lightly-tried gelding.
“Perhaps we would look to the Derby now, I think he will get at least 2000m and he’ll improve from the run on Sunday. We’ll see where we get too but we may look to step up to middle distance in a couple of start’s time and go from there,” he said.
Earlier on the six-race card, it was Ethereal Star chasing down a classy pacemaker in Merchant Queen in the Barfoot & Thompson Ellerslie Is Back 1200, the filly charging late to close within 1-1/2 lengths at the post.
“She seems to be going really well, the first-up run was solid against the older horses and it was nice to see her operate on top of the ground at Ellerslie,” Forsman said.
“She looked brilliant in her action, she was really relaxed before the race and seemed happy to be there.”
The Snitzel three-year-old was beaten only by Tokyo Tycoon in last year’s Karaka Million 2YO (1200m), and two strong performances this campaign may see her return for the $1.5 million age-group equivalent in a fortnight at Ellerslie.
“I think she ran like a horse that is looking to go further, so we are considering running her in the Karaka Million three-year-old mile. Otherwise, there are a lot of options for her, including the 1200m (Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy) on that night, but I think she’s looking for further than the 1200m now,” Forsman said.
The feature event, the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m), resulted in a solid third-placed performance by Rebecchi, another Derby hopeful for Forsman.
A son of Trapeze Artist out of Lib Petagna’s Group One-winning mare Nicoletta, Rebecchi travelled comfortably midfield under Sam Weatherley, and finished strongly 1-1/2 lengths behind Cody Cole’s Renegade Rebel.
“He was good, the leader dictated terms off the front and he had a little bit too much to do,” Forsman said. “But, he was solid and strong through the line, he’ll really benefit from the first time over middle distance. I think he’ll be a strong Derby chance.”
Consistent mare Russian Satire finished second behind Rudyard in the Auckland Co-Op Taxis 1500m, completing a successful outing for Forsman, who was complimentary of the new StrathAyr surface.
“It was great, there wasn’t a bad comment on the track and I thought the racing was good, as was the atmosphere. It was just brilliant to be back and to see the track stand up,” he said.
On the previous day at Trentham, Forsman commended the third-placed performance of Macaluso in the Listed IRT Wellesley Stakes (1100m), the filly finishing just over two lengths adrift of an impressive winner in Archaic Smile.
“She went really well and putting the blinkers on really helped, she was much sharper and put herself in a forward spot. The winner was just too good, but I thought she fought on bravely and almost got back to second on the line,” he said.
“She was strong through the post, she’s a filly that just keeps on improving.”
The daughter of Savabeel currently lies 12th in the Order of Entry for the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie, having been a $600,000 purchase out of Elsdon Park’s Book 1 draft in 2023.
“We are considering it, we’ll just give her a few days and see how she is really. If we’re happy with her, then we’ll probably line up,” Forsman said.
