Saint Emilion nearing return
Group One winner Saint Emilion and stablemate Highlad took positive steps toward a possible return to racing at Te Rapa on Saturday week when trialling well at Avondale on Tuesday.
The pair clashed in an open 1200m heat and, as expected, Saint Emilion took up his usual role in front while Highlad sat off the pace.
After being clear with 300m to run, Saint Emilion wasn’t pressured over the final stages by rider Matt Cameron and went to the line a head in front of Highlad, who ran on nicely.
“They both trialled up really well,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman said. “Saint Emilion was as competitive as usual, but Matt felt he didn’t really cop the track.
“He could possibly kick off in the open 1600m at Te Rapa and so could Highlad. He (Highlad) is also coming up well.”
Both horses ended their last campaigns on winning notes, Saint Emilion taking the Gr.3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) at Riccarton in April and Highlad successful in the Group 3 Rotorua Cup (2200m) a few weeks later.
Mongolian Marshal and Madison County were other open heat winners at Avondale for Forsman and training partner Murray Baker.
Mongolian Marshal was put aside after finishing midfield in the Gr.1 ATC Derby (2400m) at Randwick in April and, though he won his 1000m heat on Tuesday, no set plans have been made for the High Chaparral gelding.
“He’s still a bit behind the eight-ball,” Forsman said. “He’s a two-win horse so we’ll just work through the grades with him.”
Madison County beat the talented Excelleration when winning her open 1000m heat and looks on track to continue on from her last-start win in April.
Also among the stable’s triallists were talented three-year-olds Botti and Rubira. The pair clashed in the first of three open 1000m heats with Rubira third and Botti fifth of the seven runners.
“The track was pretty heavy and there had been more rain than I thought,” Forsman said.
“Rubira does cope with the moisture and she trialled up well. Botti’s trial might not have looked much, but we didn’t want him having a gut-buster.
“He could go to the Wanganui Guineas, depending on what the weather does. Rubira is likely to head straight to Australia.”
Both Botti and Rubira created big impressions when winning as two-year-olds.
Botti, a son of Jakkalberry, lived up to his unbeaten trials form when scoring decisively in his sole juvenile start, at Pukekohe two months ago, while Rubira capped three starts with a win in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Pukekohe in April.
Botti is among the entries for the Group 1 A$2 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 13 and Rubira, a daughter of Lope De Vega, is nominated for the Group 1 One Thousand Guineas (1600m) at the same meeting.