DESLEIGH FORSTER AND THE JOY OF WINNING

By Graham Potter | Sunday, January 3, 2021

When she has a runner, trainer Desleigh Forster ‘lives’ her race.

When her horse is in contention, she rides hard over the last 200m and really roars her horse home in a very animated fashion. What follows, if she gets the right result across the line, is an absolute release of emotion … a combination of relief and ecstasy all rolled into one … punctuated with a fist pump and an exuberant victory jig that is uplifting to witness.

And when that horse is Apache Chase and he is bounding clear of a cavalry charge of runners behind him in the Vo Rogue Plate, a Group 3 feature, and going on to win by 1.80 lengths at a starting price of $19.00 as he did at Eagle Farm on Saturday, well, you can just imagine how happy Forster was … and she had plenty of reason to be having turned the three-year-old son of Better Than Ready out in immaculate order.

“He’s had a great preparation,” said Forster after the race, once she had caught her breath, “although we originally didn’t think we would have to run today. He had a couple of runs where things didn’t quite go to plan and so we had to run today (to qualify to line up for Magic Millions Day).

“If he didn’t win today or didn’t run in the first couple today, we would probably have had to back up next Saturday which wouldn’t have been ideal … but, anyway, it all worked out really good today.

“We’ve got plenty of confidence in this horse,” continued Forster. ‘He has got such a good, high cruising speed and, when he gets to the front, he can quicken off a good tempo as well.

“Another good thing about him is that he makes his own luck in races. He is still learning though and, once he learns to put it all together, he is going to be a serious racehorse.”

Jockey Taylor Marshall certainly played his part in the victory. His knowledge of the horse … Marshall has ridden Apache Chase in all of his last five starts and in all of his three career wins … rode his mount to perfection and he earned a fitting reward for the contribution he has made to the stable … and Forster was quick to add her praise.

“Taylor has been good,” said Forster. “There was a bit of pressure on him today and he had to step up which he did. He is a very easy horse to ride … you just put him in gear and he just does what he has to do … but you still have make sure you get the job done. Yeah, I’m very happy for Taylor.

“If all things go to plan now … in two weeks time we’ll go to the Millions.

“Hopefully we can get the cash there then it will be on to the Winter Carnival after that.”

*Apache Chase is three-time winner from seven starts with prize-money earnings of $293 125.

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