True Enough keeps producing the unexpected. And today that could see him become New Zealand racing's latest, and one of our most unlikely, group one winners in the $200,000 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic.
The six-year-old steps up to 2000m for the first time but has found the ideal race, with a perfect draw and what should be a strong tempo to suit. Having James McDonald on board probably won't hurt either.
And while group one racing tends to be the domain of the glamour horses with the 33-second 600m sectionals in their legs, True Enough has been overcoming things his whole life.
His dam Valda's Dream was a one-win mare who was supposed to visit stallion Fully Fledged in 2012 but was accidentally served by Nom De Jeu. True Enough was the result of the mistake.
He didn't start racing until halfway through his four-year-old career and won his maiden at Rotorua two years ago but every time a new challenge has been thrown at him he has relished it.
"He is one of those horses who has never had a wrap on him but he keeps winning," says co-trainer Andrew Forsman.
"He tries hard and is just a good horse but probably not one we thought would end up being a weight-for-age horse.
"But this season he has proved he can handle that and this looks an ideal race for him even though we have never tried him over 2000m."
True Enough was strong and determined right to the line winning the Couplands Mile at Riccarton two starts ago but looked a shade one-paced against proven group one milers in the Captain Cook last start.
Today he should get the luxury of sitting just off what looks a genuine tempo and getting his shot at what is not the strongest weight-for-age 2000m group one we have ever seen.
But while he has never had that X-factor, he has beaten plenty of good horses during his relentless rise through the grades.
When he won the Thames Cup at Te Aroha earlier this year, the only other time McDonald has ridden him, he downed Rondinella while he started this season coming off the back of The Mitigator to win at Hastings.
He might face chasing down the same horse today as The Mitigator, Peso, Orakei Overlord and favourite Beauden, provided he doesn't botch the start like he did last time, all look capable of setting up the speed.
Beauden is the favourite. Photo / Race Images
The Mitigator is also new to 2000m today, having only tried it once as a three-year-old, but if he can get to the rails first of the intended leaders from barrier 11 he could take running down.
Beauden was so good last start he can continue his emergence while Charles Road is suited by the weight-for-age conditions and Fiscal Fantasy would love being tucked away on the fence if the tempo is true.
The Baker-Forsman stable also have Mongolian Marshal and Queen Of Diamonds in the Zabeel Classic, both with the turn of foot you expect from good weight-for-age horses.
Mongolian Marshal is a contender in the Zabeel Classic but has a tricky draw. Photo / Trish Dunell
But Mongolian Marshal has a very tricky draw for Opie Bosson to overcome while Queen Of Diamonds has yet to regain her best form from last season.
