Penman beat subsequent dual winner Moschino at Te Rapa on January 16 then downed the already NZB-confirmed Domain Ace and the Group 2 placed Tardelli at Tauranga on February 7.
Fast and able to race on the speed, he looks a perfect fit for the NZB Kiwi and gives red-hot trainer Stephen Marsh two confirmed starters alongside Ardalio, with 10 of the 14 Kiwi runners now announced.
Marsh, who is in career-best form, was stoked to get the progessive galloper into the new race which will be the centrepiece of the $9million Champions Day on March 8.
“He has got better every run and we all saw what he did last start so we love him for this race,” says Marsh.
“We are in with some top people and it is also great for Penman’s owners including Go Racing because they invest so much in the industry.”
As excited as Marsh is about having two chances in the Kiwi, Nakhle was buzzing thinking he and his partners have got one of the progressive 3-year-olds in the country.
“It sort of feels like Willy Wonka’s golden ticket. Everyone is looking for that chocolate bar with the golden ticket in it and we are hoping we have got the chocolates,” Nakhle said.
“Sarah, Chris (Green) and Ger (Beemsterboer) from Barneswood Farm, they are fantastic friends,” Nakhle said.
“We met them through Peter and Dawn Williams, and we have been fast friends ever since.
“Darren Brady is one of my best friends, we met through a horse as well, so it I funny how this horse game brings people together.
“He and his brother Brian have got a share.
“It is a great bunch of really cool people that understand the ups and downs of the racing and breeding game, and because of their understanding we tend to celebrate a reasonable amount when things go our way.”
Nakhle is excited about the prospects of Penman in the NZB Kiwi, and said his impressive last start victory at Tauranga sealed their decision.
“He is a horse that is on the up,” Nakhle said.
“The whole team put our heads together and we haven’t really gotten serious about many, and certainly hadn’t pushed the panic button at all even with the race three weeks away.”
With four slots left the more announcements are expected this week with the Selangor Turf Club from Malaysia, who bought their slot at auction during the Karaka sales, close to naming their slot horse.
And Auckland Thoroughbred Racing will announce which horse will race in their slot at Ellerslie after Race 1 this Saturday.
That will leave two slots left to be named.
Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s racing editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.
