Marcus excited about future

Mtrainer Adam Marcus’ stalwart filly Brave Move gave his yard a few headlines last season and he now believes he can begin competing with the big Cape yards as he has recently received support from owners one would “dream of having”.

He consequently has a twoyear-old and three-year-old string which are “a division above” what he has ever had before.

He said, “I would be surprised if we did not crack a couple who are above average, so it is very exciting times ahead.

“The difficulty of training in Cape Town is that there are a few yards who pretty much have everything sown up but I hope to keep my strike rate up and think we can now give them a bit of a run.”

Meanwhile, the now fiveyear-old mare Brave Move has been doing “exceptionally well”. She is just in light work as she is coming off her compulsory African Horse Sickness vaccinations.

However, Marcus said, “She softened up a bit during her rest, which was what we wanted to see, and is now looking great.

Domeyer

Aldo (Domeyer) rode her in work this week and she felt as good as ever.”

Marcus plans to give her a gallop prior to her first preparation race and there are then a number of options but her main aims for the summer season will be the Grade 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes over 1 800m and the Grade 1 Majorca Stakes over a mile.

The Horse Chestnut mare won her maiden over 1 400m in her second career start in the July of her three-year-old year and was accorded a merit rating of 72.

Last season she began with three second place finishes in a row and then reeled off six wins on the trot, including comfortable victories in the Listed Highlands Stud Fillies Mile and the Grade 3 Final Fling Stakes over 1 800m.

She is now merit rated 107.

Sandown Stud-bred

The Sandown Stud-bred mare was bought at the National Two-year-old sale in 2015 for what now looks a bargain R100,000.

Marcus said, “She was a stand out, we liked her from the first day we saw her.

“She is by Sandown Stud and we have had a lot of success with their progeny (which included the like of Priceless Jewel, Crystal Cavern and Royal Badge).

“James Armitage is an outstanding breeder so we always look at his draft.”

Brave Bid

Brave Move is out of the three-time winning Qui Danzig mare Brave Bid, who is out of the Zimbabwean-bred Grade 3winning Goldkeeper mare Bold Bidder.

Adam has been left to run the yard on his own for the last year-and-a-half by his father Basil, who is now fully retired.

However, he still speaks to him everyday and Basil pops in to the yard once a fortnight. Adam said, “It is good to always have that professional advice behind you.”