Tomelilla in yellow and blue on the outside. Photo – Trish Dunnell.
Cambridge-trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman’s team were on top form at Rotorua last Saturday when they were victorious in the two Group Three races of the day.
The training duo’s first feature win of the day came from Highlad with Jockey Jonathan Riddell in the Group Three Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m).
The four-year-old son of High Chaparral is on form having won two of his latest starts since winning the J. Swap Te Aroha Cup (2200m) in April.
Their second feature win of the day came from Tomelilla with Jockey Troy Harris followed closely behind by stablemate Deals In Heels with Jockey Jonathan Riddell in the Group Three ISCL Rotorua Stakes (1400m)
“To win a stakes race with her and the way she’s bred is very valuable,” Forsman said.
Stablemate Deals In Heels was the favourite to win. The five-year-old daughter of Tavistock was a 15-1 chance and proved too good at the line.
“She had handled a heavy track at Ellerslie, but we didn’t really know if she would handle it heavy here,” Forsman said.
Tomelilla sat mid-field and together with Harris were able to get themselves into the race at the 800m mark from home and hit the line strong to win by 1.8 lengths ahead of Deals In Heels.
“She was travelling pretty well, and it was just a matter on when to let her go,” Harris said. “Once she got to the outside she finished strongly.”
Tomelilla was bred by R A Emery and is raced by Mrs M E Baker & G J Jones.
