Trainer Desleigh Forster hopes high at home and away

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Desleigh Forster will spar with some of the biggest names in Australian racing when Apache Chase runs at Randwick on Saturday but it’s a filly on home soil at Eagle Farm which will have her undivided attention.

Forster was catapulted into elite company winning her first Group 1 when Apache Chase claimed the Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm during the recent winter carnival.

Apache Chase begins his latest campaign in the Group 2 Premiere Stakes at Randwick on Saturday and will be aiming for a slot into The Everest, two weeks later.

Forster will be in Sydney to saddle Apache Chase while her staff look after Exo Lady in Brisbane, who is an acceptor in two races, the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap and Open Handicap, both over 1000 metres at Eagle Farm.

Forster originally favoured keeping Exo Lady against her own age but she has drawn widely in barrier 11 compared to gate four in the Open Handicap.

Exo Lady hasn’t raced since finishing sixth to Stroll in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes over 1200 metres at Eagle Farm on June 4.

The daughter of Exosphere showed her toughness during the winter, winning the Listed Dalrello Stakes, and finished second to the Annabel Neasham-trained Swiss Exile in the Group 2 Champagne Classic at Eagle Farm in May.

She then found 1400 metres of the Group 2 Sires’ Produce a bridge too far, finishing a fading eighth to the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Sheeza Belter.

If statistics are a good guide, then Exo Lady will be highly competitive after being tuned up with a barrier trial at Deagon three weeks ago.

“She had a good break after the winter and she’s going super,” Forster said.

“She’s had a jump out and a soft trial and we’ll get through this race first before deciding her next run, but there’s a chance she could go to Sydney to be with Apache Chase.

“She’s a very good filly, who I think will get better as she gets older.”

Exo Lady is unbeaten in two starts first-up and has an unblemished record in three starts over the 1000 metre dash.

She also has a perfect record in three starts over the distance at Eagle Farm while she has a 50 per cent winning strike rate with three wins and a second from six starts at the track.

Exo Lady will be ridden by Samantha Collett, replacing Jim Byrne, who will be in Sydney to ride Apache Chase.

“Apache Chase is going really good and hopefully he can get a good track and get a slot into The Everest,” Forster said.