Top duo clash in rousing trial
Two of New Zealand’s top gallopers squared off at Tuesday’s Cambridge trials.
Turn Me Loose and Xtravagant went head-to-head in a 935m heat with the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Turn Me Loose gaining the upper hand.
Despite looking burly beforehand, the Iffraaj entire ridden by Matthew Cameron was too strong for two-time Group One winner Xtravagant and the winner’s stablemate Honey Rider finished third.
Turn Me Loose is on target for another Melbourne campaign and Forsman thought he would benefit greatly from the outing.
‘‘He’s still a bit fat and he will take a lot of improvement from that,’’ Forsman said.
‘‘He’ll know he’s had a day out – he probably didn’t need as tough a run as he ended up having, it was a strong heat.
‘‘He’ll be going straight over to Australia to start his campaign.’’
Turn Me Loose’s first-up run across the Tasman is likely to be in the Group II Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley on January 27.
He will then step out in the Group I Orr Stakes at Caulfield a fortnight later with the Group I Futurity Stakes to follow at the same track on February 25. He is the defending Futurity champion.
Turn Me Loose also has Group I victories in the Emirates Stakes and in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas. Telegraph favourite Xtravagant was ridden by Opie Bosson for trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards.
‘‘We’re really happy with him and the trial will tidy him up for the Telegraph,’’ Autridge said.
‘‘He travelled wide and had to do a bit and he carried more weight than the winner. We know there is a bit more improvement in him and he had a decent blow.’’
Turn Me Loose got a rails run in the keenly contested heat, while Xtravagant was posted three wide and made his run wide on the track. The Baker and Forsman stable was happy with the run of Gold Trail Stakes winner Honey Rider.
She was spelled after finishing out of the money in the Sarten Memorial.
‘‘We had backed off her after she jarred up at Te Rapa,’’ Forsman said. ‘‘We haven’t got any immediate plans for her, we’ll just be looking to get more black type.’’
The stable also scored a win with Group I Manawatu Sires Produce winner Luna Rossa in a 935m heat.
She hadn’t raced in New Zealand since her second in the O’leary Stakes at Wanganui in September which was followed by a three-race Melbourne campaign which produced a Group II second in the 1000 Guineas Prelude.
Forsman is unsure where the Written Tycoon filly will run firstup after her dominant win with ears pricked.
‘‘We haven’t found a race for her yet but it was good to see her win so well today,’’ he said.
Another from the stable fresh back from an Australian campaign was Highlad who had a blow-out in a 1200m heat while I Got You was an impressive 2-year-old winner for them.