The Saint adds more muscle

Model racehorse Saint Emilion will add further quality to his stable’s assault on an upcoming

Group One feature.

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained grey warmed up for the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m), a weight-for-age contest also on the programme of his stablemate Lizzie L’Amour and possibly Nicoletta, on March 10, with a stylish return at Ellerslie yesterday.

Saint Emilion took up his favoured frontrunning role in the Appliance Shed Handicap (1500m) and he left his rivals struggling in his wake in the run home, to continue his outstanding winning strike rate.

‘‘We purposefully freshened him up for the Bonecrusher so he’s on target,’’ Forsman said.

‘‘Once he’s rolling along he can dictate the race and it was a good, strong win. He’s a class horse and very genuine.’’

Saint Emilion, who has now won 12 of his 35 starts, hadn’t raced since November, but he had signalled his readiness to return with a recent trial success at Cambridge.

‘‘He had been working really well and I guess the track was the only query, but he needed a good hit-out and he got it,’’ Forsman said.

Saint Emilion travelled comfortably in the lead and he held a strong gallop to comfortably account for Arraignment and Camino Rocoso, who were both in receipt of six kilos from the Mastercraftsman gelding.

‘‘When he gets to the front he just loves it, he was spot on,’’ rider Matt Cameron said.

‘‘He’s got a high cruising speed and once I got to the 600m I just clicked him up. He was too good.’’

A SMART filly Astor will bid to give her tyro trainer Cody Cole the first black-type training success of his career at her next appearance.

The three-year- old finished runner-up to Melody Belle in the Mongolian Khan Trophy (1200m) in her first start for the Matamata horseman and she had no trouble going one better the Beko Appliances 1200m at Ellerslie.

‘‘As long as she gets through this okay, she’ll be back here for the listed Mufhasa Stakes on Derby Day,’’ Cole said.

Astor handled the slow eight conditions comfortably enough, but she is expected to be far more effective on a better surface.

‘‘When you ride her, her action suggests she wants to be on top of the ground,’’ Cole said.

The daughter of Iffraaj settled third under Cole’s partner Samantha Collett, before moving off the fence to sit on the leader’s quarters.

‘‘Sam did the right thing by popping out – you don’t want to get unlucky in a small field,’’ he said.

Astor quickly mastered the frontrunner Not

Usual Heart into the straight.