Written by Paul Vettise
Stephen Marsh admits his knowledge of motorcycles is sketchy at best, but he’s hoping he’s got the horsepower to rev up his interest.
The Cambridge horseman has accepted with four runners in Sunday’s Wood For The Trees & Auckland Harley Davidson Bat Out Of Hell H. and the NZ$27,500 purse isn’t the only attraction.
He could be in Easy Rider territory after the Rating 65 event with a new Harley Davidson Iron 883 valued at NZ$15,500 on offer to the winning trainer. Every admission ticket will also go into the draw for another one as well.
“I could just see myself driving myself to the races on a Harley.” – Stephen Marsh.
“I’d be hopeless, but a fast learner though,” Marsh said. “I could just see myself driving myself to the races on a Harley.”
Trainer Stephen Marsh
He has the last-start winners Darci Palmer (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) in the race Mallory Square (NZ) (Postponed {USA}) with Molto Veloce (NZ) (Pins) and Raposa Rapida (Foxwedge) are the first two emergencies.
“Darci Palmer really put it all together at New Plymouth and he’s a promising horse,” Marsh said.
“Mallory Square hasn’t trialed all that well, but his work since has been very good. He’s drawn wide and is a big improver.”
Two-time Group 1 winner
From the family of dual Group 1 winner Glamour Puss (NZ) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}), Molto Veloce has won once from four appearances while Raposa Rapida, a brother to the G1 Railway S. winner Volpe Veloce, will be resuming following surgery.
“Molto Veloce has drawn wide, but she’s well and Raposa Rapida has been gelded and he’s a different horse now. I just hope they get runs,” Marsh said.
The stable will also attack the Listed Barfoot & Thompson 3-Year-Old Salver in number with three Classic hopefuls in contention.
Molto Veloce
Facts of the matter
Two of them are by The Factor (USA) (War Front {USA}) with Factor Me In providing the stallion with his first New Zealand siring success when he triumphed on debut last month.
In his only subsequent appearance, the grey finished third in the Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial and despite his sire’s sprinting background – he was a dual Group 1 winner over 1400 metres – Marsh has set him for the G1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby path.
The Factor
“He’s another really promising type and he’s definitely on a Derby path with Prince Albert, and Let Me Tell Ya is on a New Zealand Oaks trail,” he said.
Marsh purchased Factor Me In for $100,000 at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale and can draw confidence about the gelding’s staying ability from his pedigree with the G1 VRC Derby and G1 South Australian Derby winner Rebel Raider (Reset) featuring close up.
“He’s obviously the only winner of my three and he was very good at his last start.” – Stephen Marsh.
“He’s obviously the only winner of my three and he was very good at his last start,” he said.
“Prince Albert needs a good track, he’s not as effective if it rains, and Let Me Tell Ya has been stiff not to have won by now.”
Out of a three-quarter sister to the Group 1 winner and producer Distant View (USA) (Mr Prospector {USA}), Let Me Tell Ya (NZ) (The Factor) has four minor placings from five appearances.
Prince Albert (NZ) (Savabeel) finished runner-up two runs back before he was out of the money on an unsuitable dead surface in the Trevor Eagle Memorial. He is from the well-performed family of the Group 1 performer Wyndspelle (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) and the unbeaten stakes winner Brutal (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).
