Marsh taking Story slowly
What’s The Story’s new trainer has high hopes of a successful return to racing from the Group One performer.
The son of Savabeel is now with Cambridge horseman Stephen Marsh after doing his previous racing from Stephen Mckee’s Ardmore stable.
What’s The Story was narrowly beaten in last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby and then finished sixth in the Group I Australian Derby before he was turned out.
He then suffered an injury when he finished fifth when resuming in the spring at Ruakaka.
‘‘He’s obviously a very talented horse who’s had a tendon problem,’’ Marsh said.
‘‘He’s doing his rehabilitation with us, but he’s yet to be worked under saddle.
‘‘He’s been on the treadmill, swimming and walking.
‘‘He’s having a month off now at Maara Grange and then he’ll come back and do another stint on the treadmill and a bit of trackwork.
‘‘We’ll give him a long, slow build-up and he’ll be ready to go in the summer.
‘‘He could probably be right for the spring, but that would mean working him on wet tracks and we don’t want to do that.
‘‘He’s a lovely type of horse and we’re looking forward to the future with him.’’
Meanwhile, Group I Thorndon Mile winner Thee Auld Floozie has returned to the stable with Marsh eyeing a first-up crack at the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay spring carnival.
‘‘She’ll have one or two trials before that,’’ he said.
‘‘She might have two runs at Hastings and she may go to Melbourne after that.
‘‘There are a number of good options for mares over there,’’ said Marsh