Stephen Marsh has no shortage of promising three-year-olds in his Cambridge barn, but he’s not deploying too many of them in early spring black type races.
Marsh will send Fonsalette (NZ) (Belardo) to the Gr.3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings on Saturday, the next step towards the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 49th New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 13.
He also has a number of potential candidates for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai 49th New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton a week earlier, but he’s keeping most of them closer to home rather than aim at the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at Hastings this weekend.
“It’s a long drive to Hastings and the Napier-Taupo Road is pretty winding, so I’d rather not make that trip more than once with some of them,” Marsh said.
Among his three-year-olds with the 2000 Guineas in mind are El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) and Hoard the Bourbon (NZ) (Iffraaj), both of which are likely to race at Taupo on Friday.
El Vencedor was second on debut as a two-year-old to Farrenc (NZ) (Dalghar), who subsequently finished third to Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), but he blotted his record by finishing sixth in a 1300m maiden at Cambridge on September 2.
Hoard the Bourbon has raced just once, running on stoutly from the rear to finish fifth to Mana Nui (NZ) (No Nay Never) at Te Rapa on September 4.
“We got it a bit wrong with El Vencedor last start – he raced very fiercely on the polytrack at his last start, so he’ll go back to the turf, and if he races well at Taupo he’ll go to the Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m) 15 days later,” Marsh said.
“Hoard the Bourbon will race in the maiden three-year-old 1300m at Taupo, and if he goes well then he’ll go to the Hawke’s Bay Guineas as well.”
Fonsalette, who finished fourth in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) last season, ran third at her first three-year-old start on September 4 and Marsh expects her to improve.
“She needed the run the other day and has bounced out of that really well,” Marsh said.
Another potential 1000 Guineas contender is Barbarina (NZ) (Savabeel), who finished second on debut behind Funny Girl (NZ) (Showcasing) in a 970m maiden at Cambridge. She is likely to be seen next in a maiden three-year-old race over 1200m at Rotorua on September 22.
“If we can sneak her down to Riccarton we will, but she’s a very good filly and we’ll take each race as it comes.”
Marsh expects to take four horses along with Fonsalette to Hastings on Saturday: Vernanme (NZ) (O’Reilly) for the open 1600m, Tightlign (NZ) (Alighn) in the Rating 74 1400m race, Listed Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) winner Tabata (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Rating 74 1200m, and Clique (NZ) (Savabeel) in a Rating 65 event.
“Tabata is a black-type winner and she should have some good opportunities this spring. It would be great if we could get her to the Couplands Mile (Gr.2, 1600m).
“Vernanme has no set targets but he should go well and there should be some nice second-tier races around for him.”
Before then, Marsh has six likely runners at Wednesday’s meeting on the Cambridge Synthetic track. Lil El Gee Dee (NZ) (Darci Brahma) makes her debut in a 970m maiden, Mercurial (NZ) (Burgundy) and Shakeout (Shalaa) contest a three-year-old maiden 970m event, and Darci Palmer (NZ) (Darci Brahma), Acting Out (NZ) (Showcasing), and Fiscal Fun (NZ) (Zacinto) are in the Rating 65 970m sprint.
Lil El Gee Dee won a trial last month and will benefit from the ace draw but Marsh said her task was a bit tougher given she is facing older mares.
Mercurial and Shakeout were set to contest different races but with the maiden 970m for three-year-olds and up being canned they are in the same race. Marsh said both were nice horses but Mercurial’s ace barrier draw should help him.
Though Darci Palmer has been extremely consistent, Marsh said he felt Fiscal Fun was probably the best chance of his three runners in the Rating 65 event.
