Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh was thrilled to see his consistent four-year-old Financier return to the winner’s circle in the Collier’s Commercial HB Premier (1400m) at Hastings on Saturday.
The lightly-raced son of Tavistock settled midfield on the fence under a no-panic ride by Opie Bosson, and cruised through the field rounding the home turn to burst into contention at the 150m mark.
Financier had been caught late when placing second to Jimmysstar on the first day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival but wasn’t to be denied on Saturday holding off runner-up Don Pauly to score by half-a-neck at the post.
Marsh was in good humour despite the inclement weather that brought showers and a chill wind throughout the day.
“I really like this horse, it’s funny the weather seems to be getting warmer here it’s not so cold,” Marsh quipped.
“Opie gets on really well with him and he sort of said for the last couple (of starts) he’s got to the front too easy and knocks off. You could see today he ranged up to them and in the last five or six strides he started to knock off again.
“He’s a horse with plenty of ability, I’ve been telling the owners how good he is for a long time and I think they were starting to look at me a bit sideways.
“He’s a cool customer, he’s got a nomination for the Coupland’s Mile (Gr.2, 1600m) so he could end up getting down there at some stage but he’s a really nice horse.”
The conditions at Hawke’s Bay had downgraded to a Heavy9 by the sixth event of the day featuring Marsh’s charge, and his first attempt at a heavy surface where many struggled through the day didn’t seem to faze the gelding.
“He hadn’t done a lot on heavy tracks, this is certainly the wettest he’s ever been on even at the trials, so he got through that nicely and I thought he (Bosson) rode him beautifully,” Marsh said.
Bosson, who returned to New Zealand this morning after a Trans-Tasman hit-and-run mission to claim the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley with Te Akau’s star sprinter Imperatriz, was impressed with the four-year-old’s efforts under the 60kg topweight.
“He gets there and he pulls up on you, he did today and in the last five strides I felt like I was walking on the line. He just pricks his ears and has a look around,” Bosson said.
“He got through the ground really well, he travelled nicely and all the gaps opened up at all the right times, we probably got there a little too easy.” Financier was purchased by Marsh and Dennis Foster for $220,000 out of the Curraghmore Stud draft at the 2021 NZB Karaka Book 1 Sale.
