Talented Trio to Clash

The Informant reports:

Tomorrow's Listed Reid & Harrison (1980) Limited Slipper at Matamata has drawn a field light on numbers but stacked with quality, headed by a highly rated trio who are building towards Group One assignments.

The first of those is the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Gasoline, who chased home subsequent Karaka Million winner Xiong Feng on debut at Te Rapa in December. He then scored a dominant victory by two and a quarter lengths at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, becoming the first winner for his first-season sire Pluck who shuttles to Australia.

“This is going to be an interesting race for him,” Forsman said. “Obviously it's a small field, but there's a few horses in there who have shown good ability and have reputations.

“We're really happy with him going into the race. He's been working really well. His form's pretty good, the only horse that's beaten him in a race so far is the Karaka Million winner. Plus he did a bit wrong that day, he loomed up to win and then just didn't quite finish it off.

“He's won a trial since his last race and he's fit and ready to go. I think the step up to 1200 metres will be ideal for him - the further he goes, the better he'll get. He'll make a really nice three-year-old, and what he's doing now is a bonus.

“This race on Saturday should give us a good line on whether it's worth carrying on to the Diamond Stakes and Sires' Produce Stakes, but we've definitely got those sorts of races in the back of our mind for him.”

Heroic Valour, a Fastnet Rock half-brother to Australian Group One winner Triple Honour, was bought by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis for $400,000 at last year's Karaka Premier Yearling Sale. Last month Ellis bought a full-brother to the colt for $510,000.

Sent out hot favourite at $3.10 for his debut at Trentham on January 30, Heroic Valour scored a comfortable win by three-quarters of a length over 1000 metres.

“He's a smart horse in the making,” co-trainer Stephen Autridge said. “It's only a small field on Saturday and if he does things right he's going to be a big hope. He's gone the right way since that debut win.”

Fellow Fastnet Rock colt Mongolian Falcon finished third to Gasoline on debut, then took a big step forward with a smart win over this course and distance on January 30.

“He's flying,” co-trainer Chris Gibbs said. “He worked up with Volkstok'n'barrell this week and went really well.

“The fact that it's a tiny field is a shame for the club, but it's not lacking in quality and there's probably three standouts, hopefully including our colt. He should make his presence felt, and then we think he could turn into our star three-year-old next season.”

Nova Swiss won his first two starts before failing in the Karaka Million, while Duvall has been thrown in at the deep end for his first raceday start in tomorrow's $50,000 race.