Trish Dunell
The powerful Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman training partnership got their day off to a bright start at Hastings on Saturday when underrated performer Mongolian Legend scored a gritty win in the opening event.
The enigmatic four-year-old has always appealed as a capable stayer after closing off his three-year-old campaign with a creditable run when finishing in midfield behind Gingernuts in the Gr. 1 New Zealand Derby in March.
The Fastnet Rock gelding resumed with a courageous win over 1400 metres at Matamata back in August before finishing runner-up a fortnight later at Ruakaka over 1600 metres. Punters installed him as a warm favourite for Saturday’s 2200 metre opening event and he didn’t disappoint by grinding out a tough win under the urgings of rider Matt Cameron after seizing the initiative early in the run home.
Co-trainer Andrew Forsman was pleased to see the rangy bay perform up to expectations after enjoying a perfect run in transit throughout the contest.
“He got into a few bad habits when he was a colt and I think some of his manners is a result of a hangover from that,” he explained.
“He switched off a bit when they put the pressure on but Matt’s a good rider and if anyone is going to wake them up and get them going it’s Matt.
“I thought he might be a bit susceptible as it was his first time over ground in this campaign, but I knew he would fight.
“It was a tough effort.”
Forsman expects the horse to work his way through the grades over the next few months with the possibility he may contest several of the feature Cup races during the summer.
Mongolian Legend is owned by the Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry (NZ) Ltd. and has now won four of his 10 career starts. - NZ Racing Desk