Stephen Marsh can make a strong case for each of his top-flight contenders at Trentham on Saturday.
The Cambridge trainer will be represented by the in-form trio of Ardalio, Tardelli and To Cap It All in the Gr.1 TAB Telegraph (1200m), a race he won in 2024 with Mercurial.
“They are really difficult to split, Ardalio is a proven, sharp sprinter but with a sticky draw (11), while blinkers will go on Tardelli and he’s a very good colt,” Marsh said.
“To Cap It All is the up and comer with a good gate (5) and she hasn’t had a lot of luck of late,” Marsh said.
Ardrossan’s daughter Ardalio has won four of her eight starts, including a most recent victory in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m) and has since been kept ticking over with a quiet trial.
“She’s a high-quality mare and put a very good field away last time out, she’s going super,” Marsh said.
Tardelli has been brought back in distance to give the son of I Am Invincible every chance to boost his future stallion value.
“At the start of the campaign, we thought he was a miler but we’ve changed tack and think he’s a better 1200-1400m horse,” Marsh said.
“That’s why we have identified the Telegraph, it’s aways been a hard 1200m so this could be his race. Eight isn’t a bad draw for him and gives him a bit of room to move.”
To Cap It All has finished runner-up in three of her last four appearances and the Capitalist filly is also proven on the course, having won last season’s Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m) on debut.
“She’s got the draw to get a smother and obviously likes the chute,” Marsh said. “She’s got a great turn of foot, and if she can be ridden a little bit conservatively then I think she can be right in it.”
Of the stable’s stakes runners at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, Gr.2 Rich Hill Stud Mile (1600m) candidate Queen Zou is expected to be their best chance of success.
“All her runs this time in have been really good and she gets in with 53kg,” Marsh said.
“It’s not a full field and you can make a case for the majority of them, but our girl is going great.”
Nest Egg hasn’t troubled the scorer for a while, but there was enough in his last effort to suggest he could be a hope at longer odds to turn his fortunes around in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m).
The seven-year-old most recently finished sixth in the Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m).
“He was pretty good and he may be getting a bit long in the tooth, but he’s certainly not out of it,” Marsh said.
Meanwhile, Ace High filly Savina will relish a rise in distance when she tackles the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m).
“She has had no luck at all and the step up in trip is perfect for her. It will test a few of those other fillies getting up over a bit of ground for the first time,” Marsh said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
