Racing: Stephen Marsh has a shot at racing rarity across three New Zealand meetings

Stephen Marsh. Photo / Trish Dunell

Trainer Stephen Marsh has a shot at a New Zealand racing rarity today but for his most valuable representative it is a case of a victory being a bonus.

Marsh has winning chances at all three domestic meetings spread across Te Rapa, Hastings and Riccarton, with winners at three different New Zealand meetings on the same day a feat probably only accomplished a handful of times.

While the Hawke’s Bay Cup meeting at Hastings is today’s top attraction, the Riccarton meeting sees Marsh line up one of the most valuable horses racing in the country in Luella Cristina.

A daughter of Snitzel from former champion racemare Lucia Valentina, who Marsh trained for the New Zealand phase of her career, Luella Cristina is worth a fortune on breeding alone but in only four starts she has greatly embellished that value with two wins and a Group 1 placing.

“When you train a filly bred like she is, and her breeding doesn’t get much better, the first box to tick is getting them to win a race, which she did on debut,” explains Marsh.

“But for her to become a Group 1 placegetter after just four starts, that is magic and seals the deal for her.

“To a degree anything is now a bonus but the reason she has headed down there is to try to get her a black-type win, to add to her Group 1 placing.”

Luella Cristina meets some in-form, talented local fillies in the $65,000 Stakes including Maryweka, owned by many of the syndicate who also own last Saturday’s A$1 million Australian Oaks winner Pennyweka.

The weather could be crucial to today’s Hawke’s Bay Cup meeting with the track rated a good4 yesterday but with showers possible.

Marsh rates Lincoln King an each-way hope in the $100,000 Hawke’s Bay Cup where he gets in with a luxury 53.5kg but says Nest Egg (R4, No 3) is his best chance of the day.

Closer to home, Marsh will be at Te Rapa, the favourite track of Encierro (R1, No 2) who the trainer is hoping can stay the 2100m.

“He loves this track and his last three wins have been here but we are still trying to find out whether he is a middle distance horse.

“Two starts ago Nabba [jockey Michael McNab] rode him over 1500m here and told us he is crying out for more ground but he has no luck when we tried him at 2000m the next start,” says Marsh.

“That was in a far stronger race than this weekend so we will see if he can cop the 2100m.”

An interesting runner in that race could be topweight The Mayor, by far the best performed horse in the race and one who likes to lead.