Marsh well in the mix for 10th black type win
Stephen Marsh will be seeking his 10th black type win for the season on Saturday.
The Cambridge trainer will have form runners in both group races at the premier meeting at Te Rapa.
Thee Auld Floozie and Sofia Rosa gave Marsh a strong hand in the group two Travis Stakes (2000m) while stablemate Akoya takes on a capacity field of three-year-olds in the group three Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m).
The Travis has attracted five of the first six placegetters from the group one NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) on the track three weeks earlier.
Thee Auld Floozie ran second, beaten a head by Charmont, in the Breeders’ Stakes, while Sofia Rosa, who will be suited by the step up to a middle distance this weekend, made ground late for fifth.
“The Travis looks a lovely race for my mares and I like them both,” Marsh said “They will both be suited by the step up in distance.”
Thee Auld Floozie has had five wins and two seconds from nine starts this term and earned more than $300,000. Her wins have included the group one Thorndon Mile and group two Westbury Classic (1400m).
“She’s had a big campaign and we have had to peak her a few times,” Marsh said. “She has done an incredible job and kept fronting up.”
The Travis will be Thee Auld Floozie’s first run past 1600m since she finished fourth in the 2016 Travis. “She was unlucky last year,” Marsh said. “She got a long way back after being chopped out early and hit the line very well. It was an enormous run.”
Thee Auld Floozie will also race in side-winkers for the first time on Saturday.
“She’s become very laid-back and it might lift her a touch more at the end of her campaign.”
Sofia Rosa, who had three wins and a second from four starts at 2000m or further last term, has had only two runs at 2000m this season, both at group one level in Australia.
“She has gone ahead since the Breeders’ Stakes and is right where we want her now,” Marsh said.
Sofia Rosa, who has a tendency to both lay in and lay out in her races, will also have a change of bit this weekend. Regular rider Danielle Johnson will partner Sofia Rosa but Opie Bosson, who rode Thee Auld Floozie last start, is committed to Echezeaux on Saturday and has been replaced by Vinnie Colgan.
Marsh recorded a career best eight black-type wins last term, including the Australian Oaks, but has already exceeded that tally this season.
More significantly, eight of his nine stakes wins for the 2016-17 season have been at group level, including two group one victories and four group two wins. BASKETBALL CRICKET