Horse racing: El Vencedor may have finally grown up in time to be a group 3 winner

El Vencedor.

One of New Zealand’s most consistent sprinters may finally have grown up just in time to become a group 3 mile winner at Te Rapa tomorrow.

El Vencedor is bred to be an elite middle distance horse, being by Melbourne Cup winner Shocking and a brother to Brisbane Cup winner Chocante and a half-brother to HK Derby winner Sky Darci.

But El Vencedor has yet to win past 1400m not because of a lack of ability or will power but maybe because of too much of the latter.

“His problem is he has always wanted to go too hard,” says in-form trainer Stephen Marsh.

“It is only this campaign he has started racing a bit more kindly. We saw that last start over 1500m and I think he is ready for 1600m.”

If Marsh is correct he has found the right race as tomorrow’s $100,000 Eagle Technology Stakes boosts few group 1 performers and the best horse in the race Prise De Fer has been racing below his best.

Add to that El Venecedor’s comfortable 55kgs, barrier 1 and jockey Joe Doyle, who is having a wonderful black type season, and El Vencedor ticks a lot of boxes for a newcomer to mile racing.

“He should be able to jump and settle handy and he is very well so it looks a good race for him.”

Marsh, who has won a feature race almost every weekend for six weeks, admits he is having a throw at the stumps with three-year-old Sinhaman in Te Rapa’s other feature, the $80,000 Eagle Memorial.

But he is inifinitely more confident with Glamour Tycoon in another $80,000 three-year-old race, the O’Learys Fillies Stakes at Whanganui. And the key word there is confident.

“She will have gained a lot of confidence herself out of her win at Ruakaka last start,” says Marsh.

“She had been going really good races against smart horses and then she had a really easy win last start and I think it has helped her mentally.

“She has a good draw and Sam (Spratt, jockey) is riding really, really well so I think this is the ideal race for her.”

There is real depth to the Listed 1340m though as Oneira was stunning winning last start as was Zoustar filly Egyptian Queen, who bolted in at Taupo and should enjoy Whanganui track if the weather holds.

Perhaps the best filly in the race, if only on reputation, is Orchestral who was the favourite in early betting for the recent 1000 Guineas.

She wasn’t right when she failed in the Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings in September but trainer Roger James is adamant she is a very good filly.

She will need to be fresh-up without a trial against last start winners from barrier 11 but she could emerge from the race the blackbooker.

Marsh rates his Whanganui Cup rep Mazzolino (R8, No.9) a good hope after some good and luckless recent runs but she is another stepping up in distance to 2040m.

“She can win but it is a good field and a big field, which are always hard to predict because luck comes into play.”

Marsh suggests Herald readers look out for Academy Award (R2, No.7) who he says he kocking on the door of a victory.