Trish Dunell Photography
The country’s premier stable won’t be short of firepower in Melbourne in the spring and they will also be well-represented at the first Group One domestic carnival.
Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have Bonneval, Eleonora, Jon Snow, Lizzie L’Amour and Weather With You booked on a flight to Australia this month while they will also enjoy strength in numbers at the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown series.
“Luna Rossa is likely to run in the Foxbridge Plate before the Tarzino Trophy and Coldplay may have a run before she goes to Hastings,” Forsman said.
“Stolen Dance will probably go fresh-up to the Tarzino and then Mime is likely to target the last two races (Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate, Gr.1 Livamol Classic) at Hawke’s Bay.”
The stablemates were all out in force this week, split between the Cambridge jump-outs over 950m on Monday morning and at Tuesday’s Te Teko trials.
Mime was successful at Cambridge while Luna Rossa and Stolen Dance were placed with the opening heat won by Lizzie L’Amour and fellow Gr.1 Caulfield Cup candidates Jon Snow, Bonneval and Eleonora also enjoying hit-outs on their home track.
“Lizzie L’Amour and Jon Snow are quite forward while Bonneval doesn’t get warm until she gets to a mile,” Forsman said.
The Australian hopefuls will be flown to Melbourne on August 13 with their spring programmes yet to be locked in.
“It’s about getting all of them there safely and we’ll probably look to give them jump-outs over there before we make final decisions, there’s a bit to be played out beforehand,” Forsman said.
At the Te Teko trials, last season’s Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes winner Coldplay wasn’t pressured to finish runner-up in her 1000m Cambridge trial.
“She was very impressive and paraded looking great,” Forsman said. “She’s a stronger and more mature mare now.
“She could kick off in the Foxbridge, she’s coming up nicely and is quite forward so we’ll make a decision on her in the next week.” – NZ Racing Desk.