Trainer Stephen Marsh and syndicators Go Racing filled the quinella in Friday’s Stella Artois (1200m) at Pukekohe with a pair of promising two-year-old fillies on debut.
Little Black Dress and Mazino stepped out for their first raceday appearances in the familiar blue and white Go Racing colours, both of them having won trials at Ellerslie on March 11.
They were rated highly in the market at $4 and $7.80 respectively, and they both delivered.
Little Black Dress was pushed forward out of the starting gates by jockey Wiremu Pinn and took the lead within the first 200m of the race.
The Snitzel filly controlled the tempo coming down the side of the track, then kicked hard at the top of the home straight to put a distance between herself and the chasers.
Mazino came from near the back of the field with a strong finish down the outside, but Little Black Dress never showed any sign of slowing down.
She stayed well out of her stablemate’s reach and won by two and a half lengths.
Mazino finished another three-quarters of a length in front of the third-placed Odds And Ends.
“They’re a couple of lovely Go Racing fillies who had both shown us a bit of ability at home and at the trials, so it was pleasing to see them come out and perform the way they did today,” Marsh said.
The Arrowfield Stud-bred Little Black Dress is by Snitzel out of the Street Cry mare Star Fashion, who won the Group 3 Ladies’ Day Vase (1600m) and placed in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) and Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m).
Star Fashion is now the dam of four winners from five foals to race.
Arrowfield offered Little Black Dress at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where Go Racing secured her for A$240,000.
Friday’s runner-up Mazino, a daughter of Cambridge Stud’s first-season stallion Hello Youmzain, was bought for $160,000 from Landsdowne Park’s draft in Book 1 of Karaka 2024.
“They’re two beautifully bred fillies who both have a bit of upside and will likely have some black-type assignments later in their two-year-old preparations,” Marsh said.
“Little Black Dress will probably point towards the Star Way Stakes (Listed, 1200m) at Ellerslie on April 19. We think Mazino will come into her own over a slightly longer trip, so we’ll work backwards from the Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (Listed, 1400m) in May with her.”
Saturday’s two-year-old race was the first leg of a Pukekohe double for Marsh, who later took out the Sistema (1200m) with talented Vadamos three-year-old Erin Go Bragh.
“It was great to see him do that,” Marsh said.
“We were considering scratching him, because he doesn’t like wet ground. But we left him in, the track improved through the day and he won that race really well.
“He showed a lot in the spring, winning on debut. We threw him in at the deep end in the Sarten (Group 2, 1400m) in his second start, where he was tripped up by the heavy track. We’ve given him a bit of time and I think that’ll pay off in the long run. We don’t have any firm plans yet, but he’s definitely got some big races in his future.
“He’s closely related to a former Group One performer for our stable, Vernanme, and he reminds me so much of that horse. That was a big part of the reason why we bought him at Karaka (for $220,000).”
Marsh will shoot for further age-group success on Saturday at Trentham, where he will saddle the favourite Tardelli in the Group 2 Wellington Guineas (1400m).
The colt by I Am Invincible has won two races this season, including a stylish last-start victory in the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy (1500m) on Champions Day at Ellerslie.
He has also picked up recent black-type placings in the Group 2 Levin Classic (1400m) and Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m).
“He really went to a new level with that performance on Champions Day,” Marsh said.
“He came from well back and ran some terrific sectionals. It was great to see him really flatten out and attack the line the way he did.
“After a performance like that, you’d probably want to see him step up to a mile rather than drop back from 1500m to 1400m. But he’s come through the race beautifully and we’ve given him a nice little freshen-up.
“He galloped particularly well this week and seems to be heading into the weekend in terrific shape. That big track at Wellington is ideal for him. He’s already run a big race in the Levin Classic over the same course and distance.”
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