Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
How to tune into Sport NationForce Of Nature chasing sprint feature
Joshua Smith • November 7th, 2025 10:30 am
Force Of Nature will contest the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Pukekohe on Saturday | Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Trans-Tasman trainer Andrew Forsman is hoping his stable can feature on both sides of the ditch this weekend.
His Cambridge stable will have strong representation at Pukekohe and Tauherenikau on Saturday and Sunday respectively, while his Flemington barn will have a two-pronged attack on Champions Stakes Day at their iconic Melbourne base.
Force Of Nature will lead the charge on the home front at Pukekohe where he will be fresh-up in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m).
Initially set to be run at Te Rapa, Saturday’s meeting was transferred to Pukekohe following the Hamilton track’s Labour Day meeting abandonment, with the club immediately undertaking renovation work ahead of the busy summer season.
The change in venue is the biggest query for Forsman, but he said the Tony Rider-bred and raced gelding has been working well leading into the sprint feature.
“We are a little bit disadvantaged that we targeted a race at Te Rapa and now we are at Pukekohe,” Forsman said. “He is a horse that is certainly more comfortable left-handed, that is the only negative, but we can’t really fault his work heading into it.”
Forsman will also be represented at the South Auckland venue by last-start winner Rambling On in the Show By SkyCity 1500 and Trust Alone in the TAB 2200.
“It was a very game win (by Rambling On) last start,” Forsman said. “He hadn’t raced for a couple of months and I thought he was vulnerable fitness-wise late. He had to work a little bit mid-stages, but it was a really game effort. It is a decent enough step up on Saturday.
“Trust Alone was a little bit disappointing at Te Aroha the other day. She was another one that had a bit of time between runs. I think she will be the big improver and she should be very competitive on her work.”
On Sunday, Forsman will line-up a couple of debutants at Tauherenikau, including OTI Racing’s Lassidfied in the LA Stud 2YO (1000m).
“It is nice to give her a trip away and I am sure we will get a decent surface down there, which will be good,” he said. “1000m first time out, drawn well with a good rider on, I think she has got a lot of things in her favour.
The Stay Inside filly has placed in both of her trials to date and Forsman is looking forward to stepping her out on raceday this weekend.
“It is nice to give her a trip away and I am sure we will get a decent surface down there, which will be good,” he said. “1000m first time out, drawn well (1) with a good rider (Craig Grylls) on, I think she has got a lot of things in her favour.”
Stablemate Autumn Queen will also make her debut in the Liquorland Masterton Maiden (1400m), where she will jump from barrier nine with Craig Grylls aboard.
“She is a nice filly but is maybe a preparation away,” Forsman said. “She has had a couple of quiet trials. We will give her a run and then decide whether we press on now or give her a bit more time and she might be one for into next year.”
Stakes targets await Privy Garden, who will be kept up to the mark for the Listed Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup (2040m) later this month with a hit-out in the Wrights Cabins & Construction (1600m).
“She is just having a run to keep her up to the mark for the Wanganui Cup, that is our target with with her at this stage,” Forsman said. “She had a bit of time out in the paddock after her last run and Sunday is very much a tune up run to have her ready and fit for 2000m.”
Forsman will also be represented on Sunday by Retrostar in the Wairarapa Music In The Country (1400m) and Nedelin in the Lamb Peters Print (1000m).
“Nedelin was a little bit unlucky (when fifth on debut), he just had to work from the widish gate,” he said. “I think there is a fair bit of speed in his race, so it would be nice to see him take a good sit off them and chase a nice tempo. He has a good amount of ability and we expect him to run really well.
“Retro Star is going back to a track he has run well at before. I think the smaller field really suits him and we are taking him down there to try and get him back to his better form.”
Across the Tasman, Group One performer Positivity will contest the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m) on Champions Stakes Day at Flemington, while stablemate Yaldi will feature in the HKJC World Pool Grand Handicap (1100m) following his first-up runner-up performance over 1100m at Bendigo last month.
“We are testing the waters with Yaldi a little bit,” Forsman said. “There won’t be a race for him down the straight for a little while and we thought while we have got the opportunity, and he is in his right grade for a decent stakes, we would give him a go.
“It will be interesting to see how that sets up for him. He hasn’t drawn really well (19), but I think the outside part of the track will be the place to be.
“Positivity is going great, she is just racing without a lot of luck at the moment. Hopefully the race is genuinely run.”
