Marsh confident golden spring can continue at Ellerslie

El Vencedor is nearing his peak as he tries to defend his Balmerino Stakes title at Ellerslie today. Photo / Kenton Wright

Trainer Stephen Marsh knows the golden run he is having can’t last forever.

But he wouldn’t mind squeezing another 12 days out of it.

The Cambridge horseman has had a dazzling spring, winning the three richest three-year-old races run so far this season and having the favourite for both the 1000 Guineas and 2000 Guineas at Cup week in Christchurch, which starts this Saturday.

But before then he heads to Ellerslie today full of confidence with El Vencedor, even though the big boy hasn’t been on the winner’s list this campaign.

El Vencedor will be odds-on in the Elsdon Park Balmerino Stakes, the feature race at the main New Zealand meeting on Melbourne Cup day.

It was this race last season that saw El Vencedor start down a path from being a good horse to our reigning Horse of the Year.

“Last spring it took him a few races to get fit and by the time he got to this race he was, and that was pretty much where it all started for him,” says Marsh.

“I think he is actually better going into the race this year than last, and he has improved since finishing second in the Group 1 last start.

“I think he has to be hard to beat because he is getting close to his peak now.”

El Vencedor was well beaten by Waitak in the Livamol here last start but still beat home a major challenger today in Sharp N Smart by a length and a half, so if he runs up to that form it is hard to see their result being reversed.

The TAB bookmakers have opened last-start winner The Odyssey second favourite and, while he has upside, he is stepping up to weight-for-age, meaning he carries the same weight as El Vencedor even though he is is rated 18 points lower.

Marsh also has Tardelli (R7, No.4) in today’s open 1500m in which his 3kg claim from apprentice Sam McNab could make a winning difference.

Tardelli had to carry 60.5kg last start but only 57.5kg today and should be fitter for that run.

“He has a sticky enough draw but he has a touch of class and we think he is a Group 1 horse in the making,” says Marsh.

“This race will be a good pointer for him stepping up to 1500m because he is so brilliant we still don’t know whether maybe 1200-1400m is his pet distance but we think he can win.”

While winning on the track, Marsh is kicking goals off it too, with a half share in his unbeaten filly Well Written being sold to racing and breeding giant Yulong but under the condition she remains in his stable for her career.

“It is great to have Yulong involved in New Zealand racing and with a really exciting horse.

“She worked exceptionally well on Saturday and has the 1000 Guineas this Saturday at Riccarton.”


One filly who will be at Ellerslie today for an exhibition gallop, so therefore not at Riccarton on Saturday, is Tajana.

Co-trainer Shaune Ritchie has confirmed to the Herald that Tajana will bypass the 1000 Guineas to take on the colts in the 2000 Guineas on Saturday week, with Craig Grylls booked to ride.

One of the other 2000 Guineas favourites Affirmative Action starts in Race 4 at Ellerslie, returning to the track where he won the Sir Colin Meads Trophy last start.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.