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Talented juvenile Yaldi will make his first Kiwi appearance as a three-year-old at Te Rapa on Saturday, with plenty of exciting prospects on the horizon.
The son of Ardrossan made a big impression when winning on debut in April, giving trainer Andrew Forsman enough confidence to send him across the Tasman for a shot at the Listed ANZAC Day Stakes (1400m), where he lost no admirers when finishing third to Epimeles.
After a spell, Yaldi returned to Australia to contest the Gr.3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) in late August and despite finishing at the tail of the field, Forsman was forgiving of his charge, particularly with the likes of Gr.1 The Everest (1200m) placegetter Growing Empire and Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) runner-up Feroce in the mix.
"We took him to Melbourne and probably found the toughest possible race to run him in first-up, it was a firm track, a windy day and there was a fair bit going on," Forsman said.
"He was up against some of the better three-year-old sprinters in Melbourne and he probably just lost his way a bit that day, it was just too much too soon."
The gelding has accepted into the Wentwood Grange 3YO (1200m) and the COMAG Plumbing, Drainlaying and Roofing Hamilton (1300m) at the Te Rapa meeting, and enters the meeting off the back of a strong trial victory against older horses at Pukekohe last week.
"We've brought him home from Australia and he had a little freshen-up, and now we're aiming towards some of those feature races for three-year-olds in the new year," Forsman said.
As a Kiwi-bred and Karaka Yearling Sales graduate, Yaldi is eligible for the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), the latter Forsman is a slotholder for. The gelding also holds an early nomination for the Gr.2 Levin Classic (1400m), to be run on January 11 at Trentham.
Another returnee from an Australian campaign, classy staying mare Moonlight Magic will kick off her four-year-old season in the Gr.2 Cal Izuzu Stakes (1600m).
The daughter of Almanzor won the Gr.3 Championship Stakes (2100m) before finishing a gallant second to Warmonger in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm, a performance she was unable to back-up a week later in the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m).
More than satisfied with his filly's efforts, Forsman allowed Moonlight Magic plenty of time to recover from her big three-year-old preparation and is looking forward to kicking her off in the feature.
"We asked a lot of her, she only really hit her best form later in the season and she ran a very game race in a heavy track in the Derby," he said. "We decided to back her up in the Oaks and it was probably a little bit too much for her, so we thought she deserved to come home, have a nice break and miss the spring.
"Hopefully that patience will be rewarded as we get into the new year and the autumn.
"Our specific targets this preparation are more a Herbie Dyke (Gr.1, 2000m) or something like that, then you're seeing if she can be effective at weight-for-age over middle-distance, or if she needs a little bit further.
"At this stage, it's a matter of getting a run or two into her and getting her fit to run in those races."
Forsman will also be represented in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) by Saint Bathans, who will be partnered by Ulrika Holmquist. The last time the Swedish hoop was on board, they missed top honours in this year's Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) by the barest of margins.
The son of Maurice comes into the race off the back of a tough effort in the Gr.3 Great Northern Challenge Stakes (1600m) and Forsman is hopeful of a more suitable run in transit for the big galloper.
"He just had to work forward from an awkward barrier draw in a small field, leading's not really his go but it just worked out that way," he said.
"Back to the 1400, hopefully he can tuck in for a bit of cover and there should be a bit more speed. If he can find that cover and there's a bit of give in the ground, he's always a chance. He's certainly capable enough."
The youngest of his quartet, Fat Cat, will make an awaited debut in the ICIB Brokerweb-Insurance Brokers 2YO (1100m).
A son of Written Tycoon, Fat Cat won his only trial at Taupo last month and was initially set to debut at New Plymouth last Thursday, a plan curtailed by torrid weather conditions.
"We got all the way down to New Plymouth last week and the track was pretty poor, so we elected to bring him home without racing," Forsman said. "It was too much of a turnaround to get him to Trentham on the following Saturday, so hopefully it can work out this time.
"He'll get a reasonable track, it's not easy to have one trial and go to the races, particularly when plenty of his opposition have had a fair bit of trialling and racing, that's always a big advantage. But, he's drawn well enough and he'll get his chance to prove where he's at and what he's up for at the moment."
