Sunday 2YO Winner Impresses Forsman

Media Release - Sunday March 30

The future is looking bright for Andrew Forsman’s two-year-olds, with sharp gelding The Espy defeating stablemate Belle Noire in the Saddlery Warehouse Cambridge and Tauranga (1100m) on Sunday.

After a smart trial victory at Ellerslie in mid-February, The Espy was a warm favourite to repeat that performance at Waverley on debut, but was caught three-wide throughout and finished fifth behind Pacific Breeze.

The Espy defeated stablemate Belle Noire to win the Saddlery Warehouse Cambridge and Tauranga (1100m) on Sunday.  Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

Three weeks later, The Espy travelled to Tauranga and remained a short-priced favourite, albeit drifting late in the betting to close at $2.10 over Fast Net ($5.40). There was a sense of déjà vu early in the race, as The Espy stepped away only fairly and once again, was caught three-wide while Belle Noire led up the juvenile field.

The filly was green turning for home and still kicked well, but The Espy was right on her tail and soon took over, showing a serious turn-of-foot in the hands of George Rooke to score by 1 – ¼ lengths.

Rooke has been aboard the son of U S Navy Flag through his trial and race-day appearances and impressed the English hoop with his performance.

“He trialled very nicely, we took him to Waverley and thought he would be hard to beat that day but he was just very green underneath me,” he said. “We went slow and quickened up, which really didn’t suit him.

“Today, the same sort of happened, we jumped and didn’t get away very fast and I was aware of that, I didn’t want it to turn into a sprint so I kicked on.

“For about five strides at the top of the bend, he just speed-wobbled with greenness, but when he got 200m out, he was really galloping along. He’ll get 14 and a mile next year very nicely.

“What he’s shown us is just a glimpse here today, he could be a very nice horse.”

Advertisement

Bred by The Oaks Stud, The Espy was purchased for $100,000 by Forsman at the 2024 Karaka Yearling Sales and was subsequently passed in after failing to meet his $150,000 reserve at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sales in November. 

Forsman had also had confidence coming into Waverley debut and was pleased to see his gelding deliver on that promise second-up.

“It was a hard call to bring him back to the races after being three-wide without cover last time and I think he’s a seriously good horse,” Forsman said.

“It didn’t really unfold how we wanted it to today but he was good enough to get away with it.

“He’s got a long way to go physically, so whether we need to go one more, we’ll leave that up to him and see how he comes through it. He’s handled the day really well, but physically he’s got so much improvement and he’s going to be a really good three-year-old.”

A filly by Turn Me Loose, Belle Noire was a $50,000 purchase out of Windsor Park Stud’s draft at Karaka, impressing Forsman enough to return in January to purchase her full-brother for $30,000.

“She was super, she was very professional today and did everything right, she’ll only improve with that run,” he said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Saddlery Warehouse Cambridge & Tauranga Mdn 1100m

Tauranga Track: Good(4) Time: 1:06.53
1
The Espy
- 2g U S Navy Flag (USA) x Leica Lady (NZ) (Bachelor Duke (USA))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: G Rooke 57.50
2
1.3
Belle Noire
- 2f Turn Me Loose (NZ) x Black Beauty (NZ) (Black Minnaloushe (USA))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: Joe Doyle 55.50
NZB Karaka Book 2 $30,000
Seller: Windsor Park Stud
Buyer: Forsman Racing
3
2.8
Fast Net
- 2f Swiss Ace (AUS) x Internet (AUS) (Hussonet (USA))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: C J Grylls 55.50
4
3
Mission Complete
- 2c Ferrando (NZ) x True Blessing (NZ) (Roc De Cambes (NZ))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: R T Elliot 58
5
3.4
Faultless
- 2g Tivaci (AUS) x Without Flaw (NZ) (Sacred Falls (NZ))
Tnr: Peter & Shaun Mckay Rdr: Harry Grace 57.50
6
4.7
Rufus
- 2g Circus Maximus (IRE) x Bint Piavonic (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: M J Mc Nab 57.50
7
5.4
Horizon
- 2g Ocean Park (NZ) x Light My Way (NZ) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: S Ramsay & J Ritchie Rdr: M Hashizume 57.50
More Reading...
Henry Dwyer Secures Top Lot on Day 4 Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
Promising Wootton Bassett two-year-old SKIATHOS topped the fourth day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale at 150,000 guineas with robust trade resulting in a clearance rate of 90% for the session. Turnover for the sale exceeded 33,000,000 guineas for only the fourth time in its history with a fifth and final session still to come on Friday, followed immediately by the Tattersalls Aut
High Hopes for Pencarrow Stud Homebred Farnan Filly
Passiflora will provide her connections with a sound guide at Tauranga as to where she sits in the three-year-old pecking order.
600k Fantasy World Heads Third Day of Tattersalls Autumn HIT Sale
FANTASY WORLD was one of three lots to realise 500,000 guineas or more on the third day of the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale which saw significant increases to the median, average and turnover from the equivalent session in 2024.
Walker Upbeat Heading into Flemington
Trainer Mark Walker will have a two-pronged attack on the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, headed by last start Listed 3YO Geelong Classic (2200m) winner Azazel, with lightly-tried McWoody also making the field.
Tabitha Ridley-Thomas Joins Magic Millions Bloodstock Team
Australia's leading thoroughbred auctioneer Magic Millions has boosted it's impressive Bloodstock Team with news Tabitha Ridley-Thomas has this week joined the company.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 30
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One To Watch – Wyong
With her half-brother Private Eye set to line up in Saturday's $3m ATC Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick, 3yo Shalaa (IRE) filly Confidentiality broke her maiden on Thursday at Wyong at just her second start for trainer Joe Pride.
Promising Winner for Peltzer
Michael Freedman trained his first winner for Champion Thoroughbreds on Thursday at Wyong and promising Peltzer gelding Sir Loyne won in a manner to suggest there is much more to come.
Breeding To Win - 2025 $10m Golden Eagle
Racing fans and punters love a good debate, but if there's one thing they tend to unite on, it's the view that the retirement of talented young horses from the racetrack to the stud happens far too early for their liking!
2025 Victoria Derby Pedigree Preview - Who is Bred to Stay?
The Group I VRC Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday is worth a whopping $2 million and the testing trip of 2500m means a lot of horses are not going to see it out strongly and this looks a competitive year with no G1 winners engaged and a full field of up and comers set to do battle, so let’s see what the pedigrees have to say.