05 May 2026
Marsh mares add further quality to Gavelhouse Plus auction
An upcoming Gavelhouse Plus auction that was already confirmed to contain Haunui Farm-Frantic Bloodstock mares Rondinella, Sudbina and Tinelly has been further boosted by the addition of two stakes winning members of Stephen Marsh’s Cambridge stable.
Stephen Marsh Racing will offer Group Two winner Hitabell (NZ) (Embellish) and dual Listed winner Glamour Tycoon (Written Tycoon) in a high-quality online offering.
“They’ve been two standout mares for us and it’s now at the stage of their careers where it’s time to offer them to the market as breeding prospects,” Marsh said. “I’m sure they’ll all have their share of admirers on Gavelhouse Plus and will be quality additions to anyone’s broodmare band.”
This will be the second time Hitabell has been auctioned on Gavelhouse Plus. The daughter of Embellish was offered by Henley Park during the 2023 National Online Yearling Sale, where Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock bought her for $9,500.
Hitabell has turned that small purchase price into more than $233,000 in stakes from an eight-race career. She won three times as a three-year-old last season including the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) and the Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1340m).
Her three appearances as a four-year-old this season included a close second behind the quality sprinter Master Fay in a 1200m open handicap at Ellerslie, followed by a sixth, only three lengths from the winner Ardalio, in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m) at Pukekohe.
“She’s been a very classy mare who was really fast over the sprint distances but also showed that she could run out a strong mile,” Marsh said. “She was a very good winner of the Listed race at Wanganui, then stepped up and beat a strong field in the Eight Carat at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, one of our premier fillies races.
“She’s a high-class mare, beautifully put together and should be highly sought after.”
Stephen Marsh Racing secured Glamour Tycoon from Book 1 of Karaka 2022, where she was a member of the Highline Thoroughbreds draft and cost $220,000. She has had 21 starts for five wins, 10 placings and $315,710 in prize-money.
Like Hitabell, Glamour Tycoon won the O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes at Wanganui as a spring three-year-old. She went on to add the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham last season, and she also placed in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) as well as the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) and Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1200m).
“She’s beautifully bred, being by Written Tycoon, and mares by him are absolute gold,” Marsh said. “She won twice at stakes level and recorded multiple other black-type placings, from her two-year-old season right through to as an older horse. I feel like we never really saw the absolute best of her, in my opinion she was a genuine Group 1 sprinter. She’s a cracking mare who should have a lot to offer in the broodmare paddock.”
Offered through New Zealand Bloodstock’s proven Gavelhouse Plus platform these mares represent a rare opportunity for commercial breeders.
“Stakes winning off the track fillies and mares have been highly sought after in recent years and these two present a great opportunity for breeders here in NZ and Australia. Both are well performed, lightly raced and having offered both as yearlings, it is a pleasure to reoffer them to the broodmare market,” commented Andrew Seabrook, Managing Director of New Zealand Bloodstock.
The auction of Hitabell and Glamour Tycoon, along with the previously announced Rondinella, Sudbina and Tinnelly, will run from May 13 to 20 on Gavelhouse Plus.
Hitabell and Glamour Tycoon are available for inspection by appointment at Henley Park in Cambridge. Contact Sarah Devich to arrange: 027 268 2141. - NZ Racing Desk
Platinum Pantheon earns Guineas shot
Exciting three-year-old gelding Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic) has made his way across the Tasman where he will commence his Queensland campaign this weekend.
The son of Hanseatic has been in solid form for trainer Lisa Latta this season, winning four of his seven starts, and earned his ticket to Australia with a runner-up performance behind Drops Of God in the Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa on ANZAC Day.
Latta began to map out a Queensland plan for Platinum Pantheon following his victory over 1200m at Tauranga in March, and she was pleased he has continued his purple patch of form with his last start Group placing.
“He went really well in the Cambridge Breeders’, and I think the draw just beat him,” Latta said.
Platinum Pantheon arrived in Australia on Monday morning in preparation for Saturday’s Gr.3 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m), with his weekend performance dictating future plans.
“He is nominated for the Gold Coast Guineas this Saturday and then we will go along from there, there are a couple of nice three-year-old races,” Latta said.
He could potentially be joined by stablemate Platinum Diamond (NZ) (Hello Youmzain), however, Latta said she will have to improve from her unplaced run over a mile at Te Rapa last month to warrant the trip.
It was an uncustomary subpar showing from the Hello Youmzain filly, who last year strung together three consecutive stakes victories.
Platinum Diamond will get her opportunity for redemption when she heads to Arawa Park on Saturday where she will drop back to 1400m.
“She was ridden handy over the mile and she just went quite hard, so we will just go back to square one,” Latta said. “She has come through the run well, I am happy with her.
“She is nominated for Rotorua on Saturday. We will just have to get this weekend out of the way and worry about that (Australia) after.” - Joshua Smith LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
Joshua Smith
LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
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