Forgot You fans can expect to see the dual Group 2 winner in blinkers when he resumes in Saturday week’s Group 3 C.S. Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained colt unleashed an impressive turn of foot late to win a 990-metre trial at Cranbourne on Monday morning, which was all the confirmation Young needed to think he should have the blinkers on first-up.
“We’ve been umming and ahhing about the blinkers but he did relax quite nicely, so I think we’ll go down that path and put them on him on for the CS Hayes,” Young said.
“If it doesn’t go according to plan we can take them off for the Group 1 in the Guineas.”
The son of Savabeel was ridden by Mark Zahra with Daniel Moor, who rode him last campaign, now in Hong Kong and the top jockey gave a glowing report.
After sitting midfield, Zahra peeled to the outside early in the straight before letting Forgot You stride late. He defeated Group-class miler Junipal by 1-1/2 lengths in a time of 59.23 seconds.
“He got his head up just once slightly, but Mark said he had a really good turn of foot with the blinkers on,” Young said.
Forgot you enjoyed a stellar spring carnival with Group 2 wins in the Stutt Stakes (1600m) and Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) before finishing the campaign with a fifth placing in the Victoria Derby.
The C.S. Hayes Stakes will be his only start before the $1 million Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 5 with Young suggesting he will be ready to fire early in the preparation.
“He’s got a lot of condition on him but he looks good and he’s starting to dapple up, so I think he’ll be going into that first-up run probably 95 percent cranked up,” Young said.
