Desleigh Forster returned to Caulfield successful in her own right on Saturday as frontrunning sprinter Adebisi confirmed Group One plans with a tough win in the Rubiton Stakes.
Brisbane-based Forster worked for Peter Moody at a time when the now-premier trainer was setting up his Melbourne operation, but Adebisi is the first horse Forster has brought to Victoria since she began training.
Adebisi winning the Schweppes Rubiton Stakes at Caulfield - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia (Steven Dowden)
Adebisi ($3.60 fav) looked beaten early in the straight when Rescue Mission ($3.80) peeled off his back and went straight past him, but the Queenslander rallied and fought back to win.
He defeated Rescue Mission by a short half-head with three-quarters of a length to Big Buddie ($21) third.
Adebisi will remain in Melbourne for the Oakleigh Plate over the same 1100m course in two weeks, looking to add to Queensland’s strong recent record in the Group One sprint after wins to Woorim last year and Swiss Ace in 2009.
“Before he won in Sydney last start people thought he was a bit weak but he’s not,” Forster said of her stable star.
“He’s tough and brave. He’s a Queenslander, what do you expect.”
Forster was using the Group Three Rubiton Stakes as a pipe-opener to the Oakleigh Plate as Adebisi hadn’t started since his win in the Razor Sharp Handicap in Sydney on December 22.
“This was just to give him a run around Caulfield and get him used to it,” Forster said.
Forster has only travelled horses interstate sparingly but it is something she hopes to do more of with the right quality stock.
And the trainer was familiar with the Caulfield surroundings given her education in racing.
“I worked for Pete (Moody) for about three years in Queensland and then when `Moods’ moved to Melbourne I came down to help set the stable up and run the show for him for the first 12 months,” Forster said.
Winning jockey Craig Williams said Adebisi did a good job to score as he “never got on the correct leg”.
