Million aim for Guineas winner

Gr.1 NZ 2000 Guineas winner Aegon. Photo: Race Images South

Last Saturday’s Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls) is likely to be aimed at the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 23, but a delay in returning from the South Island could mean the unbeaten three-year-old enters the race without a run. 

“There was a delay with the (Cook Strait) crossing and he should be back in Cambridge on Friday sometime,” said Andrew Forsman, who trains the son of Sacred Falls in partnership with Murray Baker.

“We probably have run out of a bit of time and he could go into the Karaka Classic  without a run at this stage. 

“By the time he gets back he probably needs a couple of weeks to let down and get over the trip.”

Forsman was keen to give the lightly-raced galloper a look at Ellerslie on either Boxing Day or New Year’s Day, should time permit. 

“At this stage he is quite immature so he takes less work to keep up to the mark,” Forsman said.

“He is pretty athletic so he will take as long as he needs out and then we will get him back and get him ticking over before we come up with a firm plan of attack.”