Andrew Forsman is stepping his stable star Mustang Valley back down in distance for her first Australian assignment of the season.
Mustang Valley will contest Saturday's A$300,000 Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley, joining fellow Cambridge star Prowess to provide a strong New Zealand flavour among a six-horse field.
Saturday's Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) had emerged as a possible spring target for Mustang Valley after she secured her second Group One victory with a powerhouse performance in the Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Hastings on September 30.
However, Forsman changed tack after the Vanbrugh mare's last-start fourth placing in the Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) two weeks ago. She is instead dropping back to 1600m – a distance that has produced black-type victories in the Arrowfield and the Group 3 Metric Mile, along with an outstanding finish for a close fifth in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick in April.
“I just thought she raced a little bit keenly over the 2000m the other day,” Forsman explained. “There weren't all that many options for her at home, so we thought we might as well take her across to Melbourne for another shot or two at some Australian black type. This looks like a good race to kick her off in, and then we'll see what we do with her from here.
“She's been to Australia a couple of times before, and she's taken the trip in her stride again this time. She came over on Wednesday and handled it all really well. We haven't had to do too much with her at all.
“She's had two good gallops since the Livamol. She's a pretty fit horse, dropping back from 2000m, so we're happy with how she's looking.”
Opie Bosson will take the mount on Mustang Valley in Saturday's Crystal Mile, where the small field is creating plenty of pre-race intrigue.
“Probably my main worry is that she's drawn the outside gate in what could be a very tactical race,” Forsman said. “But we'll leave it all up to Opie. In only a six-horse field, even if she does have to drop back, she shouldn't get too far off them.”
Forsman's other runner at The Valley on Saturday is Aprilia in the Group 2 Fillies' Classic (1600m).
Group One-placed in the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) as an autumn two-year-old, the daughter of U S Navy Flag announced her arrival in Melbourne with a last-start second behind Zardozi in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
“That was a really good effort,” Forsman said. “She appeared to be battling with about 200m to go, but she fought on really well. She was beaten by a better horse on the day but seemed to have the rest of the field covered.
“She's gone the right way since that race, so we're hoping for another good performance on Saturday.”
Back home, Forsman has seven runners entered for Saturday's meeting at Pukekohe, headed by last-start winner Mary Shan in the Group 2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m).
By Almanzor out of a daughter of Group One-performed mare Shanzero, Mary Shan finished third and second in her first two starts before stepping up to 1400m and winning by four lengths at Tauranga on October 4.
“All of her performances so far have had plenty of merit,” Forsman said. “She's shown that she can handle all track conditions.
“She was probably a victim of getting a bit too far back on quite tight tracks in her first couple of starts, just leaving herself with a bit too much to do.
“She won very nicely last start and I think the big, roomy track at Pukekohe will really suit her.”