Jockey Matthew Cameron had no qualms in his appraisal of Bonneval last night, rating the horse as capable of winning two Melbourne Cups soon after nudging her past the post by half a head in Hastings.
Andrew Forsman, who co-trains the 3-year-old filly with Murray Baker, reined in expectations soon after to clarify Bonneval was earmarked for the group 1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on March 18.
"She made a very big effort. She had a lot to do in the last 200 metres and I didn't think she was quite going to get there because of the way the track has been playing - it's hard to make ground so she's dug in deep and she's a classy filly," said Forsman last night as the offspring of Makfi eclipsed Savvy Dreams and Leith Innes in the group 3 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings.
The Cambridge trainer clarified it wasn't the "perfect track underfoot" that was the issue but "the pattern of racing" that made it hard for horses to make ground with the wide barriers, all which left their nerves jangling a little.
"I don't know but, for whatever reason, the pattern of racing has been, you know, hard to get back into when the horses straighten up because they are left with too much to do," Forsman explained. He also felt the horse started too fast so maybe that had had an impact as well.