Australia Possible for Mustang Valley

Media Release - Friday March 15

Australian shores are beckoning Mustang Valley once more, and trainer Andrew Forsman is looking forward to seeing if she is up to the task when she heads to Tauranga on Saturday to kick-off her autumn preparation in the BOP Equine Vets Open Handicap (1400m) at Tauranga.

Mustang Valley will kick-off her autumn preparation at Tauranga on Saturday.   Photo: Trish Dunell

The dual Group One-winning daughter of Vanbrugh was last seen on Kiwi shores last October in a campaign that included an impressive victory in the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) before heading across the Tasman for two unplaced efforts.

Courtesy of apprentice jockey Ngakau Hailey’s three-kilogram claim, the mare will get some weight relief from her 63kg allocated weight on Saturday, and Forsman indicated it would be a hopeful springboard towards another Australian target.

Advertisement

“The 1400m fresh-up suits her, she’s trialled well and worked really well, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see her in the finish,” he said.

“It’s never easy giving weight to good horses, but she’s a good horse herself, she’s a dual Group One winner with class.

“We’ll get this run into her and there’s plenty of options around. Sydney is potentially on the cards, we are possibly looking at the Queen Of The Turf Stakes (Gr.1, 1600m) on the final day of The Championships.”

Among the mare’s seven rivals is stablemate Saint Bathans, the imposing Maurice five-year-old also returning in a fresh state after going down by a nose to Habana in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) on New Year’s Day.

“He’s great, he trialled really well the other day too, but also coming off a freshen-up so he may be a touch vulnerable at the 1400m,” Forsman said.

Forsman is looking at a return to Tauranga for next Saturday’s Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) for the gelding, who carries 6kg less than Mustang Valley with Billy Jacobson in the saddle.

“It’s really just a run to set him up to ideally back-up next Saturday in the set weights and penalties mile at Tauranga, which we are definitely considering,” he said.

“He should be competitive though, and any rain around will certainly help his chances.”

Completing Forsman’s team will be classy Snitzel filly Ethereal Star, who will tackle the Super Liquor Greerton 1600.

“She was good in the Karaka Millions ($1.5 million 3YO, 1600m) with a hard run and we dropped her back to the 1400m at Ellerslie (Gr.3 Mufhasa Stakes), where she possibly looked like a horse that wants to be getting over further,” Forsman said.

“That ruled out going for the 1400m and all the way to Wellington (for the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas).

“It’s not easy taking on Rating 75 horses at a mile, but we want to test her again at that distance again to see where she’s at. If she can get a mile or further, it opens up options potentially in Brisbane for her.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Cup Day Stakes-Winner for So You Think
The Listed VRC TAB Trophy (1800m) for three year-olds on Cup Day at Flemington drew a competitive field of up and comers with So You Think gelding Opening Address stamping himself as a bright prospect for the future with a stylish victory.
Antrim Coast to Fly Flag for The Oaks Stud
The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.