Marsh hoping history repeats at Riccarton
Stephen Marsh’s confidence of landing a second Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) crown has been boosted by all of the lead-up performances of Raymond (NZ) (Ardrossan).
The Cambridge trainer won the Classic in 2016 with Ugo Foscolo (NZ) (Zacinto) and a decade on his current hope will also carry the colours of prominent breeder and owner Lib Petagna.
Ardrossan’s son Raymond has enjoyed a trouble-free preparation toward Saturday’s Al Basti Equiworld Dubai-sponsored feature and is expected to relish to step up to 1600m on the roomy Riccarton course.
“It’s been 10 years since Ugo Foscolo won and I think there’s a real sense of timing around Raymond,” Marsh said.
Runner-up in his only juvenile start, the gelding was a resuming fifth at Ellerslie before he made ground well to finish third in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) and again came from the back for fifth in the Gr.2 Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Rapa.
“He has been racing really well from wide draws and his sectionals have been good, this looks a perfect race for him,” Marsh said.
“He’s finally got a good barrier (four), he’s been screaming out for the mile, and the side winkers have worked well for him.”
Raymond earned another tick for the way he’s handled his first trip away from home.
“He got down there perfectly and has eaten well since he arrived, everything seems spot on,” Marsh said.
“He’s a smart horse who is still putting it together, he lacks a little bit of ringcraft, but it is an open field.”
Matt Cartwright will again be aboard Raymond, who is rated a $7.50 chance to claim the Guineas title.
Marsh will also have big teams at Tauranga on Saturday and at Rotorua on Sunday and tipped Erin Go Bragh (NZ) (Vadamos) as one of his leading hopes at the former venue where he runs in the Devan Plastics Handicap (1400m).
The Vadamos five-year-old finished runner-up on the course two runs back under 60kg and followed up with a third at Te Rapa shouldering 58.5kg.
“He gets in with 54kg, he has been carrying a lot of weight in the Rating 75 grade and I think he’ll go very well,” Marsh said.
He also expects a top effort from Flashback (NZ) (Darci Brahma), who has been close up at his last two appearances, in the Super Liquor Greerton Handicap (1600m).
“I really like the way he has been going, so I think they are two of our main chances,” Marsh said.
At Rotorua, three-year-olds Bourbon Time (Exceed And Excel), Fatal Affair (Home Affairs) and Noversatin (NZ) (Noverre) are among the stable’s leading lights.
The first two are dual acceptors for the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1400m) and NZB Mega Maiden Series (1400m), while Noversatin is in the Sherlock Contracting Maiden (1560m).
“I thought their last starts were all very good and with the runs under their belts, they look three to follow,” Marsh said.
