Co-trainer Andrew Forsman has been encouraged by Vin De Dance’s Rosehill Guineas performance despite the New Zealand Derby winner being relegated from second to fourth on protest.
Forsman, who trains in partnership with Murray Baker, believes the gelding can still pose a threat in the Australian Derby on April 7 at Randwick.
Racing NSW stewards agreed with Brenton Avdulla’s argument his mount Furore received interference from Vin De Dance in the home straight that cost him a better position.
Vin De Dance’s jockey Jason Waddell was suspended for the ride but can return in time for the $2 million Australian Derby.
Forsman was still pleased with the three-year-old’s first start in Australia and said Vin De Dance was ready to step back up to the Derby distance of 2400m.
“It was still a very good run. All things considered we’re very happy,” Forsman said.
“Obviously the drop back from the Derby trip (2400m) meant he was a little bit dour and he had to make his run in the worst part of the track.
Vin De Dance was on the third line of the TAB’s Derby market on Sunday at $8, alongside the Kris Lees-trained Furore, who was promoted to third after Avdulla’s protest.
D’Argento was the $4 favourite after his convincing Rosehill Guineas win while Victoria Derby winner Ace High, who ran sixth, was the $6 second elect.
Baker and Forsman, who won the Derby with Jon Snow last year, also introduced three-year-old gelding Mission Hill to Sydney racing and gave him a pass mark for his seventh in the Guineas.
“He was good too. He probably got too far back in a muddling run race,” Forsman said.
“Again, dropping back from 2400 he was just a little bit flat footed when he needed to quicken, but he’ll be right.”
