Racing: Title race new thrust for Stephen Marsh

Stephen Marsh rated Vernanme highly in today's $240,000 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie - until he drew the wide No 14 barrier. Photo / Race Images

Trainer Stephen Marsh finds himself in two unusual positions heading into one of racing's biggest days of the season today.

Not only is the Cambridge horseman leading the national trainers' premiership, but more importantly, for the first time in his career, he feels he has a real chance of winning it.

Marsh has been a premiership force for the past five years, finishing second the past two seasons to Jamie Richards and third in 2019.

He goes into today's comeback meeting at Ellerslie leading Richards 47-46, and while he may lack the numbers and equine firepower to hold that lead over the holidays, the landscape of New Zealand racing is about to change, with Richards moving to Hong Kong for next season.

Exactly when Richards makes that move and when returning trainer Mark Walker takes over the reins at Te Akau could well determine whether Richards has enough time to build a lead in the premiership Marsh can't peg back.

But Marsh now realises he has his best chance of winning the title, and while it won't be his focus today, he admits it is a goal.

"I'd be lying if I said I don't want to win the premiership," says Marsh.

"So I guess we will see how the summer goes and when Jamie leaves, but we have good numbers, so we have a chance."

The TAB closed trainers' premiership betting nine days ago when Richards made his announcement and have yet to reopen it.

Marsh has a strong team at the Ellerslie meeting, which sees racing return to the track for the first time in six months but with an enormously diminished crowd of only 900 people because of Covid restrictions.

He has one of the stable stars in Vernanme in today's highlight, the $240,000 Zabeel Classic, and rated his chances highly until the barrier draws were released.

"Barrier 14 makes it very hard over 2000m at Ellerslie, so while he is well, we are up against it there."

Marsh is more confident with Bankers Choice (R7, No 2) after his huge last-start victory at Te Rapa.

"He is really well and this is the race we set him for. He has a very in-form jockey and a good draw, so he is our best of the day."

An interesting newcomer to the stable makes her New Zealand race debut in race one, with All Saints' Eve having been a Group 3 winner in New South Wales.

"We really like her because obviously she is a class animal but I also think she will be better over more distance in a start or two," says Marsh.

"So I think our better chance in that race is Run To Perfection, who has been racing in strong fields without a lot of luck."

Marsh's runners through the middle of the programme are given each-way chances by the trainer, while Social Distance is having "a throw at the stumps" for blacktype in the Eight Carat Classic.

"We have another couple of nice chances in the Stella Artois [race seven] too, while both Oseleta and Mega Bourbon are good hopes in the Hallmark Stud [race eight] and Mega Bourbon is really flying, so I wouldn't be surprised if he won."