Saracino
Race Images Palmerston North
Saturday's Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate has become a race for the ages but also the aged.
In the 16 runnings of the Te Rapa sprint this century, the average age of the winner is 7.38.
The youngest winner was five-year-old Fleur De Lune in 2012 and seven of the past 16 winners have been at least eight, among them Bulginbaah, who won the race for a third time as a 10-year-old in 2010.
They are statistics that serve as bemusement to Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman who, along with co-trainer Murray Baker, will produce three-year-old Saracino in the 1200m weight-for-age feature.
"Maybe we should scratch now?" Forsman quipped when told of the veterans' record.
However, while few youngsters tackle the race, the Foxbridge Plate holds a lot of appeal for Forsman and Saracino.
"It's a great starting point for us. We need to get the horse going. The owners have designs on getting the colt to Melbourne this spring and this race will give him a good hit-out on a track that's only half an hour away," Forsman said.
"It's a good option for us because the Te Rapa track is a good surface and with the light weight [51.5kg], it won't hurt him. If he can pick up prizemoney, we'd be really happy."
Not only is the Lib Petagna-raced Saracino the only three-year-old in the Foxbridge Plate, he is also still a maiden. However the lightly raced youngster has been twice stakes placed, including a third behind Luna Rossa in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes.
The last three-year-old to win the Foxbridge Plate was Great Chevalier in 1984, and while Saracino will be out to replicate those deeds, he is also following a familiar path set by an illustrious stablemate.
The Baker stable produced subsequent dual Group One winner Lion Tamer in the 2010 Foxbridge Plate as a three-year-old, but he was checked out of contention when Irish Colleen fell.
"He went on to do good things later that preparation so hopefully Saracino can go on and do the same," Forsman said.
"The similarities between them is their athleticism and that neither is overly big, but the key is that this race is a good starting point. With a colt, it's good black-type up for grabs."
Forsman said there were no set plans for Saracino but safely through Saturday's race though, the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas was a target.
Races such as the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Hastings on August 27 or the Gr.2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on September 12 are among the next lead-up options.
- NZ Racing Desk
In the 16 runnings of the Te Rapa sprint this century, the average age of the winner is 7.38.
The youngest winner was five-year-old Fleur De Lune in 2012 and seven of the past 16 winners have been at least eight, among them Bulginbaah, who won the race for a third time as a 10-year-old in 2010.
They are statistics that serve as bemusement to Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman who, along with co-trainer Murray Baker, will produce three-year-old Saracino in the 1200m weight-for-age feature.
"Maybe we should scratch now?" Forsman quipped when told of the veterans' record.
However, while few youngsters tackle the race, the Foxbridge Plate holds a lot of appeal for Forsman and Saracino.
"It's a great starting point for us. We need to get the horse going. The owners have designs on getting the colt to Melbourne this spring and this race will give him a good hit-out on a track that's only half an hour away," Forsman said.
"It's a good option for us because the Te Rapa track is a good surface and with the light weight [51.5kg], it won't hurt him. If he can pick up prizemoney, we'd be really happy."
Not only is the Lib Petagna-raced Saracino the only three-year-old in the Foxbridge Plate, he is also still a maiden. However the lightly raced youngster has been twice stakes placed, including a third behind Luna Rossa in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes.
The last three-year-old to win the Foxbridge Plate was Great Chevalier in 1984, and while Saracino will be out to replicate those deeds, he is also following a familiar path set by an illustrious stablemate.
The Baker stable produced subsequent dual Group One winner Lion Tamer in the 2010 Foxbridge Plate as a three-year-old, but he was checked out of contention when Irish Colleen fell.
"He went on to do good things later that preparation so hopefully Saracino can go on and do the same," Forsman said.
"The similarities between them is their athleticism and that neither is overly big, but the key is that this race is a good starting point. With a colt, it's good black-type up for grabs."
Forsman said there were no set plans for Saracino but safely through Saturday's race though, the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas was a target.
Races such as the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Hastings on August 27 or the Gr.2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on September 12 are among the next lead-up options.
- NZ Racing Desk