Former New
Zealand mare Poste Restante went a long way to confirming an interstate trip
with a brilliant comeback win at Doomben on Saturday.
Having her
first start for new trainer Desleigh Forster, Poste Restante came with an
explosive finish from near the rear of the field to down Rhapsodic by a long head in the Kanga
Couriers Handicap (1200m).
Our Hussey
was a further half length away third.
Forster went into the race with only one regret
with the four-year-old but was always confident the daughter of Postponed would
be hard to beat.
Her biggest
fear was whether Poste Restante would have enough time to pick up the leaders on
the tight turning Doomben track.
"I knew she would be hard to beat and the
track was our biggest concern," Forster said.
"I would have preferred Eagle Farm but I
knew she would keep coming. She was the best horse in the race.
"Even
when she was so far back on the home turn I thought she would pick them up.
"It
was always just a matter whether she had enough time. She's a class act and a
class mare."
Forster won't
rush Poste Restante into a trip to Sydney and will wait for a 1350-metre Plate
at Doomben in a fortnight before deciding whether she heads south.
"I'll
wait and see how she pulls up first," Forster said.
"If
she pulls up well I'll run her in a 1350-metre Plate next then decide from
there about taking her to Sydney."
The Summer
Cup (2400m) at Rosehill in December looks a logical race for Poste Restante if she earns a trip away with high-profile
stablemates Adebisi and Easy Running.
Easy Running
will barrier trial at Doomben on Tuesday ahead of his comeback while Adebisi returns
from a spell over 1000 metres at Doomben on November 10.
Poste
Restante was previously trained by Howard Matthews who originally brought her
across the Tasman for the winter carnival after her fourth in the G1 New
Zealand Oaks at Trentham and a second in the G3 Manawatu Classic at Awapuni in
March.
In her
Queensland debut, Poste Restante finished strongly for third to the Peter
Moody-trained Brambles in the G3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben in May.
Poste
Restante subsequently finished eighth to Quintessential in the G1 Queensland
Oaks and 12th to Brambles in the G1 Queensland Derby at Eagle Farm in June
before Matthews decided to leave her with Forster after returning to New
Zealand.
Poste
Restante's win was a lucky pick-up ride for jockey Brad Stewart who replaced Ric
McMahon after he was dislodged from his mount Endless Shadow in the Rick's Door
Handicap.
The win
continued Forster's stellar season with her seventh winner from her past eight
starters.
Racing Queensland webnews October 13
Photo: Trackside Photography
