Wet G1 to Suit Classy Mare Mustang Valley

Media Release - Wednesday September 27

Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman sees a simple equation for his classy mare Mustang Valley ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m), the wetter the better.

Mustang Valley is a current second-favourite for Saturday's Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m). Photo: Trish Dunell

The daughter of Vanbrugh resumed this campaign with an eye-catching sixth in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) finishing less than two lengths from victor Dragon Leap, and produced a dominant winning performance at Taranaki a fortnight ago when Forsman elected to bypass the first of the Hastings features (Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy, 1400m) with the mare.

“She’s improved a lot since Taranaki, she was only second-up so fitness-wise she’s pretty well spot-on now going up to a mile,” Forsman said.

The Hastings track was rated a Heavy10 on Wednesday morning, with rain forecast for Saturday, and Forsman wouldn’t mind seeing the track remain in a heavy state for his versatile five-year-old.

“The wetter the better for her. She handles most tracks whereas that makes it harder for a lot of her opposition,” he said.

“On a rain-affected track she’s a real winning chance.”

Mustang Valley was runner-up to race rival La Crique in the second leg of the Hastings Triple Crown last year, before scoring a dominant win in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), and notably recorded an impressive fifth in the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick in April behind superstar New Zealand-bred miler Mr Brightside.

The mare will face a star-studded field, with six other Group One winners, including the likes of Sharp ’N’ Smart and Legarto, however, Forsman will have the advantage of Premiership-leading hoop Joe Doyle aboard his charge, who is aiming for a third stakes victory this season.

“Joe came in and galloped her on Tuesday morning for her last serious bit of work and he was happy with her,” Forsman said.

The stable will be also represented at Te Rapa on Friday with six runners, including in-form galloper Turn The Ace in a competitive Fluid Power Distributors Mile (1600m).

Te Rapa has been a happy hunting ground for the Turn Me Loose five-year-old, with five of his seven career victories coming at the Waikato venue.

Advertisement

“He’s in great form, he was beaten by a tough winner last time but he was five weeks between runs so I think he’ll be fitter this time, and back on the slightly slower track should help him as well,” Forsman said.

Good Oil will look to continue his consistent run of form in the Marsh Racing 2100, recording a victory and a close second since resuming at Te Rapa in August and will be assisted by apprentice Elen Nicholas’ two-kilogram claim.

“He’s in really good form, it was a brave effort over the middle distance last start and he races well at Te Rapa so he should be competitive,” he said.

Forsman will also prepare three-year-old filly Eloise for her second-up run in the BCD Group 3YO 1400, however, stablemate Satin Doll is highly unlikely to start from a tough barrier draw.

“Eloise is a nice filly with a good pedigree as well, but she might take a race or two to figure things out,” he said.

The Cambridge trainer has two other runners at the Te Rapa meeting, with Westwood resuming in the Fluid Power Distributions 1200 following a consistent run of placings in her three-year-old season, and Proisir mare The Queen Bee in the Craig Investments Partners 1400.

Meanwhile, Forsman was pleased to kick off what he hopes will be a successful week across the North Island with a victory at Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday, taking out the Cambridge Equine Hospital 1550 with Styx.

The daughter of Time Test settled back in the field under Michael McNab, cruising up to the leaders nearing the home turn and fought hard to out-sprint race-favourite Highly Vindicated to score by a long neck.

“It was a game win, she’s just been a bit slow to mature but she’s got a really pedigree and now she’s a winner which is a bonus,” Forsman said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Champion 2YO Velocious Sale Details
Group One winning Champion 2YO Velocious (Written Tycoon) is about to be offered for auction in the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale and the promo videos are out along with inspection details.
Mustang Valley Claims a Second G1 Win
A year on from a breakthrough spring campaign that announced her arrival on the Group One stage, Mustang Valley did it again in the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Hastings on Saturday.
Havana Grey Sireline Strikes with New Stakes-Winner
Small in stature, Havana Grey is one of Europe’s hottest and most interesting sires and Australian breeders should probably learn a bit more about him given his Champion 2YO Colt Vandeek (GB) is shuttling to Arrowfield Stud this spring.
G1 Winning Mare Mustang Valley to Run at Randwick
Mustang Valley will be looking to get her campaign back on track when she heads to Randwick on Saturday.
Mustang Valley Retired - To Be Covered by Paddington
Multiple Group One winner Mustang Valley has joined her mother in the Windsor Park Stud broodmare band with both set to visit the Cambridge farm’s new stallion Paddington.
High Hopes for Unbeaten Justify Filly
The Emirates Park colours were carried to victory at Canterbury on Wednesday by exciting three year-old Justify (USA) filly Amreekiyah, who produced a dazzling finishing burst to keep her unbeaten record intact.
2YO Looking Replicate Family Stakes Success
Tony Furness will head to Otaki with family history on his side when he tackles the Listed Phils Electrical and Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) with his promising juvenile Reconvene on Saturday.
One To Watch - Eagle Farm
With the recent announcement that Yes Yes Yes will stand at Gooree Park Stud this spring, the Everest hero has had a steady flow of winners with today’s Eagle Farm success story being a half-brother to Group 1 winner Uncommon James.
Too Darn Promising
If there is one thing we have learned about the progeny of Too Darn Hot (GB) this season it is that they train on and whatever his progeny show at two they invariably improve on at three so with that thinking in mind we’ve gone looking for a few spring contenders starting with the obvious.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday July 23
Here is the full list of 40 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.