Youngsters command Marsh’s weekend focus
Stephen Marsh is hoping to unveil an age group star on Saturday.
The Cambridge trainer will produce three runners in the Listed Hanley Formula Wellesley Stakes (1000m) at Trentham and promising Tavistock filly Loose Cannon in the Group 3 Partners Life Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie.
Marsh’s runners for the Trentham two-year-old feature are debut winner Sai Fah, trial- winning Savabeel debutante Exuberant and Appellant, who ran third at Pukekohe on debut behind race rivals Beauty Diva and First Rock.
“They are two-year-olds that have come up early and look like they want to carry on,” Marsh said.
“Sai Fah was the one that showed us the most early and he won well at his first start at Wanganui and on experience, he’s probably got the edge of ours. I was just going to give Exuberant a month in the stable and turn him out but he has just kept on improving and I haven’t wanted put him out.
“He’s a well put together Savabeel colt and he trialled well. I really like him. And Appellant was strong to the line at Pukekohe on debut. She gave them a fair start but was really good late, though I would have been happier if she had drawn an alley.”
Exuberant is a $9 chance in the TAB’s fixed-odds market, shading Sai Fah at $10.50, with Appellant at $23 in a market headed by debut winners Last Sight and The Tailors Niece at $4. Marsh’s other runners at Trentham are Bella Gioia, Mr Trump and Belle Fascino.
At Ellerslie, Tavistock filly Loose Cannon will seek to enhance her claims for the Group 1 Gavelhouse.com 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 17, for which she is at $14 in the futures market.
“If she goes well here, she’ll go to the 1000 Guineas,” Marsh said.
“She had 10 days off after her last run but her work has been good and this race will clean her up nicely for Riccarton.
“Media Sensation is backing up from winning last week and she looks hard to beat in a pretty good lineup but our filly’s form is good. If she had luck on her side she would have finished third to Advantage and Xpression [in the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings] which would make her form look better.
“She nearly got put over the rail but she finished it off well and she’s going well.”
Loose Cannon was offered at $10 in online bookmakers Soliloquy market behind Media Sensation at $3.50, Queen Of The Air at $4 and London Express at $4.20.
Marsh will also saddle other Riccarton aspirants at Ellerslie, with Group 3 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup (3200m) hopeful Felaar and Group 2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) entry Ugo Foscolo joining Our McKay and King’s Cross at the Auckland Racing Club meeting.
“Felaar is on trial for the New Zealand Cup. If he goes well he’ll probably go down for the Metropolitan on the first day. His run over the mile last start was good but it’s just a shame he’s drawn a bit wide.”