High-class New Zealanders The Chosen One, Quick Thinker and Aegon are set to campaign in Australia during the autumn with their trainers targeting feature races in Sydney and Melbourne.
The trio returned to the stables of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman this week and were reported to be in top order.
The Chosen One spearheaded the stable’s spring carnival with a Caulfield Cup placing and an outstanding fourth in the Melbourne Cup.
Forsman confirmed the 2021 Sydney Cup was the stayer’s likely goal after he was runner-up in the 2020 renewal.
“I think the Sydney Cup will probably be the target race and it is a case of working backwards and seeing how he is going into it to see what lead ins you give him,” Forsman told the NZ Racing Desk.
“He will carry a bit more weight in the Sydney Cup this year, and that will be a factor, but he probably deserves it.
“He has performed well and you would like to think the Sydney Cup will be a tier or two below what he was competing against in Melbourne.”
Exciting three-year-old Aegon is set to be given his chance across the Tasman where the Australian Guineas and All-Star Mile are among the options.
His owners have already turned down several good overseas offers for the Group One winner and are keen to continue racing him.
“He is a lightly-raced horse so there is no reason why he can’t race on for another two or three years,” Forsman said.
“There are great options in Melbourne and Sydney and perhaps even closer to home. We will see how he goes in the Karaka Million three-year-old Classic and we will be dictated where we head by that.”
The stable is hoping for another wet autumn in Sydney for Australian Derby winner Quick Thinker, who struggled on the firm tracks in Melbourne during the spring.
“His form suggests slow to heavy ground is his go and hopefully we can go back to Sydney and get those surfaces for him,” Forsman said.
