Trainer Andrew Forsman is looking forward to heading to Te Rapa on Saturday where he will give his exciting juvenile Walkin In Memphis his first tilt at black type in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1400m).

The Too Darn Hot colt finished sixth on debut to race rival So Fear at Pukekohe last month but bounced back with a dominant maiden victory at Otaki earlier this month, much to the delight of Forsman, who shares in the ownership of the promising youngster.

“It was a confidence-boosting win,” Forsman said. “He has always shown nice ability, he has just been figuring things out through trialling and racing. I think he will keep getting better and better with the experience of raceday.

“We could have had him in the paddock by now and we did toss up between doing that or giving him another one, but given how well he has worked and how well he is coping, we thought the extra experience of racing in a competitive field like this on Saturday would really set him up nicely for next time around.”

Walkin In Memphis is currently a $4.50 second favourite with TAB bookmakers for Saturday’s feature, with the Donna Logan-trained Belle Rebelle heading the market at $4.40.

Forsman is also excited about the prospects of stakes winner Force Of Nature in the Jones Trucking 1200.

The five-year-old gelding was fourth when first-up in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m) at Otaki earlier this month, and Forsman said he has derived plenty of benefit from that run.

“He is going really well and would have benefited from that first-up run where from a wide draw getting too far back cost him,” Forsman said. “He didn’t have the cleanest run through them at the top of the straight, but he was still solid to the line, and I think he ran like an improver and hopefully he takes that improvement into Saturday. He also loves Te Rapa.”

Lightly raced gelding Rio Grande will resume in the Jarvis Trading Mile (1600m), having last raced in July last year where he won over a mile at Te Rapa. The son of Vadamos had been building to that result, having placed in three of his prior runs.

While Rio Grande has thrived on Heavy tracks, Forsman believes he will be competitive on better surfaces, and he is looking forward to lining him up at Te Rapa, which was rated a Soft5 on Thursday morning.

“I think he will be effective on good ground later on, he has just taken a long time to mature,” Forsman said.

“He will get a decent track to resume on on Saturday. I think he will need the run a little bit and it is very much a race to get him out and going.

“I am thinking the way he was shaping up at the end of his last prep and how he is training this time around, he could win races and go through the grades in time.”

Stablemate Pine Leaf will also resume on Saturday in the Direct Fats & Oils 1200.

“We have been waiting a long time to get her going,” Forsman said. “We have been waiting for a reasonable track to kick her off in. I would have preferred 1400m, but she has been eliminated from a couple of those this week.

“She is a nice filly and if she can run up to her work she will be competitive on Saturday, knowing that she will improve for the run and will be better as she gets out over further.”

Prior to weekend racing, Forsman will head to Pukekohe on Friday with two runners, including promising juvenile Chaos Creator who will be auditioning for a tilt at stakes level in the Elsdon Park 1600.

“I am really happy with Chaos Creator,” Forsman said. “If she ran well again tomorrow we would consider going onto the Champagne Stakes (Listed, 1600m) in a couple of weeks’ time, or she might have done enough, she will tell us tomorrow.

“She is going to make a lovely staying three-year-old and it would be nice if we could get a win on the board now.”

Forsman will also line-up G’day Goldie in the Show By SkyCity 1600.

“She was a big improver last start,” Forsman said. “I think the mile at Pukekohe suits, it is just a shame about the barrier draw (15), but I expect her to be getting back and hitting the line strongly.”

Meanwhile, Forsman said Single Red has come through her ANZAC Day victory in fine fettle and will fly out to Queensland on Sunday on a campaign geared towards the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 6.

“I am really happy with her, she looks to have bounced through the run from last Saturday,” Forsman said. “At this stage it is all systems go for getting over to Brisbane on Sunday and she will be racing in the Bracelet (Listed, 1800m) next Saturday.”