Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman has a big opinion of two-year-old filly Ethereal Star, who finished second in Saturday’s Listed Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) behind impressive winner Tokyo Tycoon.
Ethereal Star was a $600,000 purchase last year at Karaka where she was offered by Blandford Lodge and signed for by Forsman with bloodstock agents Andrew Williams and Bevan Smith.
By champion sire Snitzel, the filly’s dam is the Makfi mare Eleonora, who Forsman prepared with the now retired Murray Baker to win twice at Group Three level and she finished third in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m).
Runner-up on debut, Ethereal Star won the Listed Challenge Stakes (1100m) at her second start back in November and like the winner of the Karaka Million 2YO entered the race off a space between runs at just her third start.
With Australian jockey Damian Lane in the saddle, Ethereal Star was positioned prominently throughout and showed a real willingness to find the line when getting the better of pacemaker Ulanova, only to be swamped late by the fast-finishing Tokyo Tycoon.
“I’m very proud of her. She had every possible chance and Damian rode her a treat,” Forsman said.
“She was probably just a little bit too aggressive. I was surprised there was no more pressure from the outside and she ended up with a lovely run and she came out to win it, it was just a case of the winner being too good.
“We never really wanted to give her too many races as a two-year-old so we will just have to be a little bit careful and see how she comes through it.
“Maybe she will have two more runs as a two-year-old before we turn her out. We would love to get her to Australia in the spring.
“I think she is a miler. I love her to bits and I think she will make the grade in time.”