Forster’s dream of Winx showdown continues

Desleigh Forster’s dream of winning a Group One race with Cylinder Beach has moved up another notch after the gelding scored an impressive win at Doomben.

Cylinder Beach ($3.20) had his last start before heading to Sydney for an autumn campaign with a 1-1/4-length win over Siegfried ($2.60) in the Open Handicap (1350m).

Cylinder Beach, which had not raced since winning the Listed Bernborough Handicap on New Year’s Eve, will run in the Group Two Ajax Stakes at Rosehill on March 11.

“From there I will assess him and he has been entered for the (Group One) Doncaster on April 1 but I have been dreaming of winning the ($4 million Group One) Queen Elizabeth,” Forster said.

“I know it’s a big ask taking on Winx in the Queen Elizabeth but that is what racing is built on – dreams.”.

Forster said she had always had a big opinion of Cylinder Beach, which had to lump 60kg for Saturday’s win.

“Actually, with the jockey’s vest it was 61 kilos. But his jockey Jim Byrne has a real affinity with him. Jim seems to be able to get him to race a bit handier,” Forster said.

“Right from his two-year-old days when he had no luck in some Group One and Two races, I have felt his four-year-old season would be his best. Now he’s four he has to live up to it.”

Meanwhile, promising Niccanova is set to stay in Australia after his storming win in the Three-Year-Old (1600m).

Owner-trainer Steve Tregea has had offers from Hong Kong and Australian interests for the gelding, which has won two of his three races.

“He can go for a spell now and come back for the winter. At this stage I won’t be selling him,” Tregea said.

Niccanova ($1.85) looked in trouble at 200m but sprinted too well for Don’t Doubt Da Wife ($7).

“He is still green and has plenty of improvement in him.”

Jockey Ron Stewart has quickly earned the nickname “King of the Long Shots” after completing a winning double in the Open Handicap (2000m) on Explosive One ($20).

Stewart, who had earlier won on Pinch River ($12), resumed after a year off to get his helicopter pilot’s licence in December.

His winners since returning have included Colour Charge ($61), Doubt She’s A Lady ($51) and Good Job Bro ($41).

Explosive One’s trainer, Matt Dunn, was in Melbourne on Saturday but stable spokesman Toby McIntosh said the win was not unexpected.

“She had been racing well in the northern rivers and the distance suited her,” he said.