Mongolian Falcon
Trish Dunell
The Mongolians are waging war Down Under this weekend.
Lin Lang's Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry will chase feature races on both sides of the Tasman, with Mongolian Khan making his comeback from a colitis-enforced stint on the sidelines since winning the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup in October when he tackles the Gr.1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) in Sydney on Saturday, while Mongolian Falcon is set to make his mark in the Listed Reid & Harrison Slipper (1200m) at Matamata the same day.
Murray Baker, who trains Mongolian Khan in partnership with Andrew Forsman, has warned punters that the New Zealand Horse of the Year would find the 1600m too sharp in his fresh-up run, but the Northland training partnership of Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs is far more confident with Mongolian Falcon at Matamata.
Mongolian Falcon finished third to the Baker-Forsman-trained Gasoline on debut after he was caught wide at Ellerslie but easily won at his only subsequent appearance at Matamata last month.
"He's improved since then. He's done very, very well," Gibbs said.
"His work has been very good and I couldn't be any happier with him. Leith said he was only in second gear when he won at Matamata last time and it would be nice to see him go an even better race again this weekend."
Just five two-year-olds accepted for the Slipper, which is restricted to colts and geldings on the undercard of the Gr.2 J Swap Contracting Matamata Breeders' Stakes for two-year-old fillies.
Gasoline and impressive debut winner Heroic Valour look the main opposition for Mongolian Falcon in a race which looms as a key leadup to the Gr.1 Sistema Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on March 12. – NZ Racing Desk.
Lin Lang's Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry will chase feature races on both sides of the Tasman, with Mongolian Khan making his comeback from a colitis-enforced stint on the sidelines since winning the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup in October when he tackles the Gr.1 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) in Sydney on Saturday, while Mongolian Falcon is set to make his mark in the Listed Reid & Harrison Slipper (1200m) at Matamata the same day.
Murray Baker, who trains Mongolian Khan in partnership with Andrew Forsman, has warned punters that the New Zealand Horse of the Year would find the 1600m too sharp in his fresh-up run, but the Northland training partnership of Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs is far more confident with Mongolian Falcon at Matamata.
Mongolian Falcon finished third to the Baker-Forsman-trained Gasoline on debut after he was caught wide at Ellerslie but easily won at his only subsequent appearance at Matamata last month.
"He's improved since then. He's done very, very well," Gibbs said.
"His work has been very good and I couldn't be any happier with him. Leith said he was only in second gear when he won at Matamata last time and it would be nice to see him go an even better race again this weekend."
Just five two-year-olds accepted for the Slipper, which is restricted to colts and geldings on the undercard of the Gr.2 J Swap Contracting Matamata Breeders' Stakes for two-year-old fillies.
Gasoline and impressive debut winner Heroic Valour look the main opposition for Mongolian Falcon in a race which looms as a key leadup to the Gr.1 Sistema Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on March 12. – NZ Racing Desk.