Andrew Forsman has won every Group One race for three-year-olds in New Zealand apart from the Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), and the Cambridge trainer hopes Kitty Flash might be the filly to give him his missing piece at Riccarton on Saturday.
During his highly successful partnership with Murray Baker, Forsman picked up three wins in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) with Turn Me Loose (2014), Madison County (2018) and Aegon (2020). The pair won the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) on two occasions with Mongolian Khan (2015) and Vin De Dance (2018), while Bonneval delivered them a Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in 2017. The Levin Classic (1600m), which held Group One status until its downgrade to Group Two this season, was also won by Madison County in 2019.
Forsman’s best result in the 1000 Guineas to date came with Valalie’s runner-up finish behind Media Sensation in 2018, while Mary Shan was a close fifth last year.
Kitty Flash has made impressive strides this spring and has done it all in a single preparation, starting with a close fifth on debut in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka in August.
The daughter of Ace High recorded back-to-back wins at Taupo and Te Rapa in her next two starts, leading all the way on both occasions. She abandoned those front-running tactics in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on October 26, charging home from the back for a close second behind the 1000 Guineas favourite Alabama Lass. Kitty Flash clocked the fastest sectional times for her last 800m (47.04 seconds), 600m (35.45), 400m (23.76) and 200m (12.34).
“She’s done a great job to come all this way in one preparation,” Forsman said. “She seems to be getting better and better all the time, which is very encouraging to see.
“The way she found the line at Ellerslie was great. One of the best things about her is how tractable she is. When we’ve changed the way we’ve wanted to ride her, she’s adapted to it very quickly. It was a really good performance in the Soliloquy and exactly what we wanted to see as we prepare to step her up over a mile.
“She’s trained on really well since then and handled the trip down to Christchurch perfectly. I think she’s spot on.
“I think she can run out a strong mile. You never quite know when you’re going into these Guineas races at Riccarton, where it is quite a tough mile. I think most of the other fillies in this field are in the same boat. But she was very strong at the end of her race over 1400m last start, which gives us a little bit of confidence that the extra 200m will be within her grasp.”
Kitty Flash will attempt to complete a 1000 Guineas double for Rich Hill Stud stallion Ace High, who also sired last year’s winner Molly Bloom.
Meanwhile, Forsman has further feature-race representation at Riccarton on Saturday with Sporting Chance contesting the Gr.3 Martin Collins 161st New Zealand Cup (3200m).
The six-year-old Dundeel gelding goes into the race on the back of late-finishing fourth placings at Ellerslie in his two most recent appearances. The first of those was a 2100m open handicap on October 19, which was followed by a 2400m Rating 75 on November 5.
“He just got a bit too far back last time and was never really a winning chance from there,” Forsman said. “It was still a pretty strong staying effort in the end. He’ll certainly relax, switch off and give himself every chance of running out a strong two miles on Saturday. His handy draw (gate five) should allow us to settle a little bit closer, somewhere around the first third of the field, which will help his chances.”
At Tauranga, the well-performed Saint Bathans is entered for both the Gr.2 Gartshore Tauranga Stakes (1600m) and the Laser Plumbing Waihi Beach (1400m).
“I’m probably leaning towards the 1400m race,” Forsman said. “He’s had an unlucky run of bad barriers, and that’s continued with drawing the outside gate for the Tauranga Stakes. It might be a Saturday morning decision, but his better draw for the 1400m race might make that a slightly more attractive option at this stage.
“The horse is in good form and has been working really well leading into this. He just hasn’t had much luck go his way lately.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
