Apache Chase ready
Bad habit fixed: Forster
TRAINER Desleigh Forster is confident she has curbed Apache Chase’s costly habit of missing the start in time for the $1 million The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle on Saturday.
Apache Chase missed the start by up to two lengths in successive Sydney starts during spring, finishing unplaced in both the Premiere Stakes and Sydney Stakes.
The talented Queenslander’s losing margin in both races was less than two lengths which roughly equated to the amount of ground he was giving away at the start.
Forster believes Apache Chase’s slow getaways stemmed from an incident in the Stradbroke Handicap earlier this year.
“In the Stradbroke, a horse was playing up in the barriers and both Apache Chase and Eleven Eleven must have been stirred up in the gates because they were slow away,’’ Forster said.
“Ever since then Apache Chase has been a bit ‘toey’ in the barriers and it has been costly in his races.
“His runs in Sydney were good in the spring but you can’t afford to miss the start in those big, quality races against the elite horses.
“You can’t expect to beat them when you are giving away a length and a half or two lengths at the start.’’
Forster took Apache Chase back to her Eagle Farm stable base in Brisbane and has given the top class five-year-old a refresher course at the barriers.
“We have done some work with him at the barriers at home and he has been jumping away brilliantly,’’ Forster said.
“I’ve applied to stewards to load him in late on Saturday, he will have a barrier blanket on and ear muffs pre-race. Hopefully, he will jump away ‘clean’ in The Hunter.’’
Apache Chase, winner of the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup beating Paulele and Eleven Eleven earlier this year, has earned more than $2 million prizemoney and is topweight with 59kg for The Hunter.
Forster believes she has Apache Chase in top form for the rich Newcastle sprint.
“Apache Chase has done well in the month since his last run, he has freshened up nicely,’’ Forster said.
“A month between runs and a dry track is perfect for him.’’
Forster loaded Apache Chase onto the horse float on Thursday for the eight-hour road trip from Brisbane to Newcastle.
Apache Chase had a travelling companion for the float trip with stablemate Couldn’t Refuse due to contest the Trans-Tasman Trophy (1850m).
Forster will be keeping a close eye on the Doomben meeting on Saturday where she is represented by the speedy Emerald Kingdom in the Listed $150,000 Keith Noud Stakes (1200m) and juvenile filly Salt Lake Betty makes her debut in the Jonker at Aquis Handicap (1050m).