Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh is hoping Laneway Flirting (NZ) (El Roca) and Windspeed (NZ) (Tavistock) can replicate their last start result when they line-up in the Champion Freight 3YO (1100m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.
The three-year-old fillies finished first and second respectively over 1200m at the Hamilton track earlier this month and Marsh said they will have to be at the top of their game this weekend when they meet a handy field.
“Both are in very good form, they went really good last start,” Marsh said.
“It would be nice (to replicate last start’s result) but there are horses like Wewillrock, who I think is a very smart, and Turn The Ace is a stakes performer. I think this is a very good field.
“It is a step up for them, but they are two very nice, progressive fillies, and they will run good races.”
With rain forecast into the weekend, Marsh said he has a bit to think about ahead of the PGG Wrightson Grain 1300.
Marsh is set to have three runners, including Tightlign (NZ) (Align), who takes a hat-trick of wins into the race.
The Align gelding won’t be suited by the wet conditions and Marsh is weighing up whether to run the gelding or bypass the race, with stablemate Master Park (NZ) (O then able to utilise apprentice jockey Crystal Lindsay’s four-kilogram claim.
“The tracks are starting to get a little against him (Tightlign) now,” Marsh said.
“I was hoping the rain didn’t keep coming. He is not quite at the top of his game when the tracks start getting like this.
“We are just working out whether to run Tightlign or put Crystal on Master Park. I am a bit unsure what to do, to be honest.
“Master Park’s run was good last start. He got back but hit the line nicely for fourth. Drawn one, if we take the claim off him, he is going to get in with no weight.
“He wouldn’t be out of it.”
While the wet tracks aren’t ideal for Tightlign, Marsh is weighing up whether to press on with him for the Ruakaka Winter Series.
“He potentially could go out, we will just see how he goes on Saturday and then make a plan,” Marsh said.
“We do have Ruakaka coming up where there is that good series, so we could tick him over until then, but Saturday will tell us a bit more.”
While Marsh is weighing up his options with the aforementioned runners, he believes stablemate Mega Bourbon (NZ) (El Roca) will be hard to beat in the same race after his last start runner-up effort behind Tevere (NZ) (Contributer).
“I thought it was a really good run,” Marsh said. “The step up now to 1300m is ideal, he loves the rain, so he has got to be a good chance.
“There is no Tevere there, which certainly helps too.”
Marsh is also looking forward to having runners at Trentham where he will contest the Listed James Bull Holdings Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m) with Monza Circuito (NZ) (Showcasing) and last start Listed ANZAC Mile (1550m) placegetter Zee Falls (NZ) (Sacred Falls).
“Monza Circuito was unlucky last start. I just hope the track doesn’t get too bad for her, which it is going to,” Marsh said.
“We are just trying to chase as much black-type as we can with her.
“I thought Zee Falls’ first-up run was really good. We have ended up with Wiremu Pinn on, with the scratching of Apostrophe, which is great.
“She doesn’t mind the bad wet track. She will jump and put herself right there. I think she is going to be a real chance.”
