New G3 Winner for Turn Me Loose

Media Release - Saturday May 13

Free-going three-year-old filly Wessex proved too swift for her older rivals in Saturday’s Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m) as she secured a dominant front-running victory.

Rider Kozzi Asano went handlebars down from barrier rise on the Andrew Forsman-trained daughter of Turn Me Loose as he set up a break of more than six lengths midway during the 1400m contest.

It was apparent that Wessex was still travelling sweetly for Asano turning for home, however she started to shorten stride at the 250m as both On The Prowl and race favourite Sumi began to close appreciably.

Wessex found plenty in reserve though as she maintained her gallop to the line, winning by over two lengths and sealing her first victory at stakes level.

Forsman, who enjoyed a long and successful partnership with the now-retired Murray Baker celebrated his first black-type success in a solo capacity when Francesca triumphed in last year’s Rotorua Stakes (1400m), and the Group One winning conditioner was able to land the feature in successive years.

It was a good training feat by Forsman, who produced the filly first-up off a three and a half-month break. She was put aside after finishing down the track behind Prowess in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at Pukekohe.

Wessex is going powerfully as she heads to the winning post at Rotorua to secure victory in the Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m) Photo: Trish Dunell

“She is a filly who always seems to go her best races when she is fresh and she can get out in front, find a rhythm and just do her own thing,” Forsman said.

“It did look like she might have a wee wobble in the run home, but Kozzi did say she had plenty left and when he asked her, she was very strong to the line.

Advertisement

“I did think she would go a good race as she had been working well, so when she got an uncontested lead, I was pretty confident she would be hard to run down.”

Given her ability to handle winter tracks, Forsman will continue along a black type path with Wessex in the short term.

“We will just keep her a little on the fresh side as we look at what is coming up,” he said.

“There is another similar race at Tauranga later in June (Listed Tauranga Classic, 1400m) so that looks like an obvious target for her.”

Bred by Windsor Park Stud, Wessex was a $150,000 purchase by Forsman and part-owner Ben Kwok out of the Stud’s Book 1 draft during the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale at Karaka.

Out of the stakes winning mare Trepidation, who finished third on two occasions in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, Wessex has won three of her eleven starts and over $115,000 in prizemoney. 

Wessex is the seventh stakes-winner for Windsor Park Stud's Turn Me Loose.– NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Niance Overcomes Serious Injury to Claim Stakes Victory
Exciting New Zealand-bred mare Niance has bounced back from a serious injury and picked up right where she left off last spring, collecting her third consecutive black-type win in Saturday’s A$175,000 Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.
First Local Win As New Endeavour (IRE) Records Stakes Success
While it may have taken the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained New Endeavour (IRE) a while to record his first Australian success, connections were rewarded for their patience as the 5yo dominated under Tim Clark to win the Group 3 BRC Lord Mayor’s Cup (1800m) at Eagle Farm.
Ears Back Wins Listed Stakes at Wanganui
A two-race North Island campaign has ended on a career-defining high for Ears Back and her Rangiora trainer John Blackadder, who scored their first black-type win in Saturday’s Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m) at Wanganui.
Wessex Lets Loose
Wessex, the brilliant second-crop daughter of Turn Me Loose who won the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes last Saturday, further enhanced her own value as well as her young sire’s growing tally of stakes winners to become Turn Me Loose’s third three-year-old Group winner this season and seventh individual stakes winner to date.
Bright Future for El Roca 3YO
Owner-trainer-breeder Kylie Little believes she might have a promising stayer on her hands with Eagle Rock, who left maiden ranks with an emphatic performance in Saturday’s Matt Edwards-Lime Group Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa.
Kiwi Bred Campaldino Wins G3 for Darby
Promising New Zealand-bred stayer Campaldino passed his biggest test with flying colours at Eagle Farm on Saturday, stepping up to stakes company and adding the A$200,000 Gr.3 Living Turf Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) to his winning sequence.
Three Straight Stakes Wins For Cool Aza Beel’s Cool Archie
With no two-year-old currently performing better in Queensland, the Chirs and Corey Munce trained Cool Archie continued his outstanding form, taking out the $1m Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), his third consecutive black type victory.
When in Doubt Back a Frankel!
The $200,000 Listed ATC Lord Mayor’s Cup (2000m ) at Rosehill on Saturday attracted a competitive field of 14 stayers, the bulk of them imports and when you strike an open race like that it’s often wise to follow this piece of advice – when in doubt back a Frankel!
Stakes Potential for New Hello Youmzain Winner
Late-season black type is on the radar for Platinum Diamond after an impressive upset victory in Saturday’s Full Circle Appearance Medicine 2YO (1200m) at Wanganui.
Another Win for Smart Exceedance Filly
Apprentice Liam Kauri has continued a winning association with the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott stable by partnering their smart three-year-old Tristar to victory in the Ambient Group 3YO (1100m) at Te Rapa, his second victory aboard the filly from just two rides.