Marsh’s Guineas hand to be dealt at Te Rapa
TRAINER Stephen Marsh’s hopes of dual representation in the opening group one event of the season for the three-year-olds will be decided at Te Rapa next Monday.
Sumstreetsumwhere and Raposa Rapida will both be on trial for starts in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas on November 11.
Sumstreetsumwhere was third on debut behind the pre-post classic favourite Te Akau Shark before it was successful at Te Rapa earlier this month, and the horse will attempt to add to his winning tally in the Group Two Sarten Memorial.
“He goes well and he hasn’t had a soft race yet,” Marsh said.
“He ran into a good field first-up and then won an open three-year-old race.
“There’s still improvement to come from him and he’ll go to the Sarten and, as long as he runs as well as we think he will, then he’ll head down to Christchurch for the Guineas.”
Raposa Rapida, a brother to the multiple stakes winner Volpe Veloce, was unplaced behind Sumstreetsumwhere at his last appearance.
“He did a lot wrong and got squeezed up and then didn’t put in,” Marsh said.
“We’re going to put the blinkers on and a tongue tie when he runs on Sarten day in a maiden 1400m. If he performs like we think he can, then he will go to Riccarton.”
Meanwhile, Marsh was buoyed by the recent trial win at Ruakaka of the enigmatic Rocanto.
A stakes winner and group one placed as a two-year-old, the horse has subsequently added a couple of lower grade successes to his record.
“His trial win was great and we want to target the Railway with him,” the trainer said.
“Time has helped him and he seems the complete horse now. I think he’s in for a good season.”