The Cambridge-based horseman has trained 96 winners in New Zealand this season, dwarfing his former personal best of 64 the previous year. His runners have earned NZ$2.65 million, beating his previous best by more than NZ$1 million.
Marsh sits third on the New Zealand premiership behind Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman (112 wins) and Jamie Richards (98), while no other trainer has reached 70.
“With the three wins we also picked up Aussie during the season, it gives us a total of 99 so we badly need at least one more,” Marsh said.
Trainer Stephen Marsh
“I’d dearly love to get to 100 New Zealand wins, but we’re running out of time this season and we’re a bit low on numbers of runners at this time of the year. We’re going to have to pull a rabbit out of the hat to get there.
“But either way, it’s been a dream season. At this time last year we set ourselves a target of 75 wins, so we’ve well and truly surpassed that. In terms of numbers of wins and prize-money, it’s been an all-round record-breaking season.”
Special thrill
Marsh had no hesitation in picking a highlight from the last 12 months – the upset victory by Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia d’Oro {USA}) in the G1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie.
“That’s easily the highlight,” he said. “I think it’s the race on the New Zealand calendar, it’s certainly one I’ve always wanted to win, so it was a special thrill to do it.”
Crown Prosecutor also won the G3 Wellington S.earlier in the season, while Marsh’s other four black-type wins this term came from Exuberant (NZ) (Savabeel), Bobby Dazzler (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), Ardrossan (Redoute’s Choice) and Felaar (NZ) (Ekraar).
Marsh reported that he is pleased with Crown Prosecutor’s build-up toward an Australian spring campaign.
“He’s spent a few weeks up at Ruakaka, enjoying the beach there,” he said. “He’s up to galloping now and coming along very nicely.
“He may go straight to Australia and kick off over there, but we haven’t made any firm plans for his programme yet. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do this season – he’s developed nicely and has been gelded since his 3-year-old season as well.”
“He may go straight to Australia and kick off over there, but we haven’t made any firm plans for his programme yet.” – Stephen Marsh.
Marsh believes his other budding stars of the 2019-20 season are likely to be at age-group level.
“I reckon we’ve got a lot of really nice 2-year-olds, rising 3-year-olds,” he said. “There’s a fair few of those who I think can be competitive in good 3-year-old races in the new season.
“There’s a beautifully bred Tavistock filly, Heart of the Ocean (NZ). She ran second in her only start this season. I think she has a lot of ability and is pretty exciting.
“Another one is Exuberant, who won at stakes level as a 2-year-old. He’s coming up really well and looks like he can go on with it as a three-year-old as well.
“Among the older horses, Vernanme (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) has had a good break and seems to be coming up really nicely.
“We’ve got a nice spread of talent across the stable, but I reckon our strength is probably going to be with our 3-year-olds.”
Regally-bred filly
Heart of the Ocean (NZ) is out of Special Diamond (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), who is a full-sister to Group 1 winner Don Eduardo (NZ) and a three-quarter sister to another five stakes winners including Octagonal (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). Heart of the Ocean is raced by the China Horse Club, who paid $975,000 for her as a yearling at Karaka.
Heart of the Ocean’s only appearance was at Ellerslie on June 3, where she sat second-last before charging home out wide to finish second.
Heart Of The Ocean
Exuberant is raced by the Go Racing On High Syndicate and won the Listed Wellesley S. on debut last spring. He then finished third in the G3 Eclipse S. on New Year’s Day before finishing unplaced from a wide gate in the Karaka Million.
Exuberant’s second dam McHappy (Rory’s Jester) is a half-sister to Scandinavia (Snippets), granddam of the great Black Caviar (Bel Esprit). Exuberant was a $160,000 yearling purchase at Karaka.
Vernanme was the higher-rated of Marsh’s two runners in the New Zealand Derby in March, having produced strong-finishing placings in the G1 Levin Classic and G2 Avondale Guineas in two lead-up appearances. He ran ninth in the Derby, but only five lengths from the winner.
Bred and raced by Kevin Hickman and Vern Trillo, Vernanme is a full-brother to Australian Derby winner Shamrocker (NZ) and G2 The Roses winner Bohemian Lily (NZ), and a half-brother to the G1 Auckland Cup winner Rock Diva (NZ) (Lucky Unicorn ).
