Group Three test in the offing for new Southland acquisition
Joshua Smith • October 2nd, 2025 9:17 AM
A Group Three test is in the offing for Group Two performer Saint Bathans, who has transferred south to the care of Ascot Park trainer Robert Dennis.
Previously trained by Andrew Forsman out of his Cambridge and Flemington bases, the son of Maurice won five races on both sides of the Tasman, with his career highlight being a runner-up performance behind Habana in last year’s Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m).
The seven-year-old gelding has been leased to a group of Dennis’ clients and the Southland horseman has been pleased with the way he has settled into his barn.
“He arrived in terrific order from Andrew’s stable. He is a lovely, older gelding,” Dennis said. “We have leased him down here and put together a group to race him.”
Saint Bathans made his stable debut over 1100m at Gore 10 days ago and Dennis believes he will be more competitive over a mile on Friday in the Olphert Contracting Handicap (1600m) at Ascot Park.
“His first-up run was more like a trial for him over 1100m,” Dennis said. “Stepping up to the 1600m on Friday is a more suitable distance and he drops in weight too.
“The only concern is a Heavy10 track. If he can get through that he will be competitive.”
Stakes targets await Saint Bathans if he performs up to expectations this week.
“We threw a nomination in for the TAB Racing Club Mile (Gr.3, 1600m), and if he does recapture his best form, that is certainly a race that he could be aiming towards,” Dennis said.
Saint Bathans will be met on Friday by stablemate Stolen Magic.
“This has been her target for a little while,” Dennis said. “She gets a nice, light weight (54kg) and we expect a wet track, which is right up her alley. She has had a trial and a race, and I think she will be ready to go second-up.”
Dennis has a four-pronged attack in the Vale Tony Dennis (1400m), a race named after his late father, led by last-start winner Sir Sterling.
The Greg McCarthy-bred and owned gelding won fresh-up over 1335m at Gore last month and Dennis is hoping he can double-up on Friday.
“He was really good and he seems to have trained on well,” Dennis said. “Up two kilos in weight, we have stuck with Daniel Bothamley onboard. Dan has been doing a great job riding a bit of work for us lately.
“We expect him to be competitive if he can get through the wet track. He has had one start here at Invercargill for one win, so he obviously likes the place.”
Stablemates The Radiant One and On Song will resume in the STAC Weddings Handicap (1200m), with the former on a path towards next month’s New Zealand Cup Week in Christchurch.
“It will be a kick-off point for The Radiant One,” Dennis said. “A heavy track is certainly not ideal first-up for her, but she is aiming for Cup Week and we have no big expectation on her.
“On Song goes really well fresh. She has a nice, light weight and a good front rider in Tina Comignaghi aboard. She is stepping up to open class, but at her best she will be right there.”
Earlier on the card, three-year-old filly Swoomee Swan will be on trial for next month’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) when she contests the Nigel Robertson Building Maiden (1400m).
Dennis has plenty of time for the daughter of Darci Brahma and expects her to improve on her debut runner-up effort.
“Swoomee Swan is a very nice three-year-old filly that holds a 1000 Guineas nomination,” Dennis said. “I would prefer to see her on top of the ground, but it is hard to pass up a seven-horse field on her home track.
“Her debut second has been franked with the winner just going down in a three-year-old handicap on Saturday, and one in behind her winning last week as well.
“She is a pretty smart horse.”
“In the maiden 1200m, we have got Pretty Fly resuming,” he said. “Hopefully she has matured a bit now, she was thereabouts last season. If she can find another length or two, she is going to be really hard to beat.”
