By Grahame Timbrell
Group Three-winning galloper Forget will have his second run back from a long spell in the $30,000 Bengalla Cup (1280m) at Muswellbrook on Sunday as trainer Kim Waugh tries to chart a new path for the horse.
Waugh, who made a raid on Brisbane last Saturday with Oxford Poet, might also start that horse in the same race: “I want to study the weights first then think about it over night before deciding whether to accept with him,” she said.
Oxford Poet, the winner of the Listed Winter Stakes at Rosehill in July last year, won a 1350 metre handicap at Doomben at his third run back from a spell.
Two years ago Forget capped a stellar winter and early spring campaign by winning the Group 3 Cameron Hcp at Newcastle beating Malice which then went on to win or be placed in another six Group or Listed races. Following the Cameron, Forget was spelled but never regained his old form with his best effort a third in the July Sprint at Canterbury last year.
“Later he developed a leg problem so I turned him out for a long break,” Waugh said. “He came back fine but he was big.” Forget resumed with a last at Rosehill midway through last month off the back of one trial.
“He was still pretty big when he went into that run but he has trimmed down a lot since then,” Waugh said. “He is an eight-year-old and still competitive but probably not at the level he was racing at before.
“Trying to find races for those older horses is a challenge but the Bengalla Cup looks a nice race for him. He can be competitive at that level and winning or running really well will do his confidence the world of good.”
While Oxford Poet was flying the stable’s flag at Doomben, Waugh was at Rosehill where Shiraz won the Listed Winter Challenge for her. Four days before that her talented mare Star Princess bungled the start badly and came from a seemingly hopeless position to win a maiden at Wyong courtesy of a brilliant Tommy Berry ride.
“I still can’t quite believe what she did but It was the start of a great week and I hope it can continue at Muswellbrook,” Waugh said.
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