Mares don’t make it easy

1 April 2015

Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have had issues to work through with their quality pair of Diademe and Sports Illustrated ahead of Saturday’s Group One feature at Te Aroha.

The Cambridge trainers have had to ride out a few bumps in the road along the way to the Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes.

Placed at the top level, Diademe won the Gr.3 Westbury Classic two runs back before she failed in the Gr.2 Japan/NZ Trophy.

“The track was a bit ordinary and it was quite cut up – that’s all we can put it down to and she had put in a funny one at Tauranga before,” Forsman said.

“She’s had a few setbacks and injuries along the way so we have to manage her. We would love to get a Group One with her.”

With regular rider Opie Bosson in Sydney to ride barn mate Mongolian Khan in the Gr.1 ATC Derby, central districts jockey Jonathan Riddell will partner Diademe.

“She’s an on pace horse and he’s a good, strong rider,” Forsman said.

Sports Illustrated suffered an injury when she ran second behind Rising Romance in February and has finished third in one subsequent appearance.

“She got galloped on and was in the box for a week,” Forsman said. “It’s never ideal and effectively she is going in second up – she was very fresh at Te Rapa.

“It’s a real shame that her preparation was interrupted and a bit of a worry going into a Group One.”

However, both Diademe and Sports illustrated, who will be ridden by Craig Grylls, have pleased in their work this week. – NZ Racing Desk.

-NZ RACING DESK

Ardrossan’s Group 1-placed darling wins A$300,000 Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Wakeful Stakes

Second and fourth in 1600m Group 1 races in her two previous starts since being purchased privately by OTI Racing and stepping out in Australia under Chris Waller’s racing banner, De Armas (Ardrossan) stepped up in distance at Flemington on Saturday and opened her Australian account in style in the A$300,000 Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Wakeful Stakes (2000m) on Derby Day.

30 October 2026

The Corner with Garry Chittick

The writing of my Corner started many years ago, motivated by an irritation that I felt needed scratching. It was never my intention to make my commentary regular; neither did I intend to reinvent the direction of racing administration. It is both disappointing and ironical that what should be a simple, straightforward business provides a regular need for comment.