Even though Too Good To Refuse has been beaten twice this campaign, trainer Desleigh Forster is still adamant that the promising three year old is on target for the Group 1 $1m Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) at Randwick on March 5.
Too Good To Refuse, above, is on target for the Royal Randwick Guineas at Randwick. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Too Good To Refuse has already proved himself in top company with a one and three quarter lengths fifth to Vanbrugh in the Group 1 $500,000 Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick during the 2015 Sydney Spring Carnival.
The Rothesay colt has had two runs back this preparation over unsuitable distances in three year old class and Forster is looking forward to stepping him up in journey after finishing third over 1200m at the Sunshine Coast on January 16 followed by a fourth over 1350m at Doomben last Saturday,both times behind the Robert Heathcote trained Privlaka.
“In his run at Doomben he was giving them 10 lengths start, at least, and the best bit of his work was late when he finished really well,” Forster told The Courier-Mail.
“He had a wide barrier and carried a big weight at Doomben but he will be much better off getting back to set weights.
“He is just crying out for distances between 1400m and 1600m. Hopefully he can draw a good barrier in those Sydney races so he won’t have to go back so far.”
Forster will now head to Sydney with Too Good To Refuse and run in the Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on February 20 as a lead up to the Royal Randwick Guineas.
Former South African jockey Robbie Fradd has been aboard Too Good To Refuse since the pair won a Beaudesert two year old Maiden in July last year and Forster can see no reason to replace him when the team heads to Sydney even though she was critical of his ride in the Spring Champion Stakes.
“Robbie didn’t ride the colt that well in the Group 1 in Sydney but I am a pretty loyal person,” Forster said.
Too Good To Refuse is the winner of three of his ten race starts and the chestnut colt has earned $189,200 in prizemoney.
