Stephen Marsh is excited to head south to Hastings on Saturday with a three-pronged attack in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m).
His charge will be led by Group One performer Vername, who will carry the gold silks of co-breeder and co-owner Kevin Hickman.
The seven-year-old gelding has been runner-up four times at elite-level and Marsh believes it is his time to notch a Group One scalp to his record.
The son of O’Reilly will back-up in the Hastings feature after running fourth in the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Matamata last Saturday.
“He hasn’t missed a beat. He has got a real spring in his step,” Marsh said.
“He has drawn (12) out a little bit but he will go forward. He is going super and the 2000m is really going to suit him.”
Vernanme will be joined in the race by stablemates Masetto and Osaka.
“I didn’t think Masetto was bad late in his last race (Arrowfield Stud Plate). The 2000m is really going to suit him and he has drawn well (4). He is going to be one of the outsiders of the field, but I think he will race a lot better than that,” Marsh said.
“Osaka went well last start and has come through it extremely well. It is a big jump up to weight-for-age but it seems an open enough field.
“Dad and I own a big chunk of him with a good friend of ours so we thought we would have a crack.”
Oseleta will join her stablemates on the float trip south where she will line-up in the Gr.3 Red Badge Spring Sprint (1400m).
Marsh elected to bypass the Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Hawera last weekend in favour of Saturday’s Group Three, and he is hoping it will pay off.
“We drew wide last Saturday and took the punt and hoped for a better draw here,” he said.
“She is really well and the side winkers go back on. We would love to get a bit of black type with her.”
Miss Cartier is the first on the ballot for the Red Badge, however, her connections have elected to fly to Melbourne with her where she will contest the Gr.2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
“We couldn’t get in there (Red Badge) so she is flying to Melbourne tonight (Wednesday),” Marsh said.
“She has got in 16 of 16 in the Tristarc Stakes on Saturday at Caulfield. She will run there with Tommy Berry aboard.
“The track looks very dicey at Hastings on Saturday and we don’t think she likes a very heavy track. It has just been such a frustrating spring.
“It is easy to get them over there now. Set weights and penalties is probably not absolutely ideal for her, but she is going well and she has a good team of owners, so I am more than happy to have a throw at the stumps.”
Back in New Zealand, Marsh will have a handful of runners at Ashburton on Saturday, including Arrowette in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m).
“I am happy with her,” Marsh said. “She has been down south for a couple of weeks now. She got scratched last start with a bit of a sore foot, but the side winkers go on her and she is going really well.”
