Best Eleven (Aus) is doing a sterling job in Hong Kong but trainer Tony Cruz believes he could be just as successful at the famous St Moritz meeting in Switzerland.

The son of Arrowfield sire Charge Forward increased his strike-rate to 4 wins in 8 starts with a last-start victory in the Pok Oi Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin.  “He would run in rain or snow or whatever,” Cruz claimed.  “He is an all- round horse and can handle any going.”

Best Eleven (3g Charge Forward – Betsy Pie by Redoute’s Choice) was initially trained by Gai Waterhouse after selling for $170,000 at the 2010 Gold Coast Magic Millions.

Waterhouse attends the St Moritz snow meeting in February every year before returning to Australia in time for the Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale.  Charge Forward has 9 lots at Oaklands Junction this year.

Best Eleven was sold off-shore after defeating top-class youngsters Smart Missile and Salade in a Sydney barrier trial.  Waterhouse advised connections all he wanted to do was eat, sleep and run.

Best Eleven’s dam Betsy Pie is a stakes-performed half-sister to 1991 English 2000 Guineas winner Mystiko.  This is also the family of G1 winners Pasta Post (New Zealand) and Rabiya (South Africa).

Charge Forward (Red Ransom) was runner-up to Dance Hero in the 2004 Golden Slipper and his brilliant filly Headway was runner-up to Phelan Ready in the 2009 Golden Slipper.  

Headway helped Charge Forward claim first-season sires honours and she trained on as a spring three year-old to beat the boys in the G1 Ascot Vale Stakes at Flemington.

Among the Charge Forward yearlings at the Melbourne Premier is Bellerive Stud’s colt from the Flying Spur mare Road to Damascus (Lot 173).  The dam is a half-sister to G1 winners Bluebird The Word (Waikato International) and Porto Roca (Coolmore Classic).  

Porto Roca is the dam of English based galloper Monterosso (Dubawi).  He has won at G2 level at Royal Ascot and was G1 placed in last year’s Dubai World Cup.