Forster set for bumper day at Eagle Farm

Thursday 9 June 2016, 2:47pm

Desleigh Forster is leaving nothing to chance ahead of the biggest day of her training career.

Forster will fly the Queensland flag with certain starters in the Group One Queensland Derby (Cylinder Beach and I'm Belucci) and Group Two Queensland Guineas (Too Good To Refuse) and the first emergency in the Group One JJ Atkins Stakes (Zendaye) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Forster, who has just nine horses in her Eagle Farm stable, realises Saturday is her chance to move from being rated a good trainer to elite company.

"I suppose a lot of trainers would like to have a third of their team in Group races on the one day. But it is thanks to some good owners and some good staff," Forster said.

Forster, jockey Ryan Wiggins, and premier trainer Tony Gollan plan to walk Eagle Farm on Friday to see where they think the best going will be.

"It is a brand new track and you want to a have a plan on it," Forster said.

"Tony is regarded as a genius track walker so I will call on him."

Forster has high hopes for her runners in the Derby who she said had thrived since their last starts in the Grand Prix Stakes two weeks ago.

"Cylinder Beach was eighth in the Grand Prix but I have put blinkers on him and that will sharpen him up," she said.

"I wanted him ridden back more in the Grand Prix but he was forward. We will probably go back on Saturday.

"I'm Belucci ran his best race for some time in the Grand Prix and he will appreciate getting back to Eagle Farm."

Forster debated long and hard before sending Too Good To Refuse into the Group Two Queensland Guineas rather than the Group One Stradbroke.

"He has been up really since October with a three week break. I will give him a light spring and miss the autumn," she said.

"Then he can come back for his shot at the Stradbroke and the Doomben 10,000 next year."

Forster is hopeful Zendaye will get a start in the JJ Atkins believing he will appreciate the roomy Eagle Farm track.

– AAP

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