“It means the world to win it for them,” said Marsh before switching into future mode.
“I am sure they will happy to buy even more horses for us to train this week.”
Marsh was talking about the Karaka yearling sales which start on Sunday, where he and Go Racing secured Velocious last season for $190,000 from Canterbury-based Inglewood Stud.
A filly with Velocious’s ability and attitude has no shortage of targets and while Marsh would love to win a Group 1 in March to secure her broodmare future he was already thinking ahead to next season.
“There is a new $4.5m slot race (NZB Kiwi) to think about long term so that is pretty exciting.”
McDonald’s ride was what McDonald does. Planned early then instinctive, genius at the start to put his key rivals behind him and then later when he waited to ask Velocious for her best.
Earlier in the night Crocetti remained unbeaten and got punters off to the perfect start with an effortless win in the $225,000 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy.
Fresh up from his 2000 Guineas win at Riccarton in November he had to settle for the trail early behind Merchant Queen but the punters who backed him into $1.25 favouritism had little concern from the top of the straight.
The lanky chestnut raced clear with jockey Warren Kennedy not having to ask him for too much and to remain unbeaten in seven starts.
“There is more to come because he wasn’t screwed down for that,” says co-trainer Danny Walker.
“But I don’t want to push him too much this campaign.”
That could see Crocetti take on the older horses in the BCD Sprint at Te Rapa on February 10 but then head back to the spelling paddock.
“I don’t really want to take him to Australia this autumn, but I’d be really keen to take him in next spring for the Golden Eagle (Rosehill, late October).”
Like Crocetti, former HK galloper Master Fay loved being handy to the speed on the firm track and also remained unbeaten but in only his third start spread over two countries.
He started his career trialling here, won his only start in Hong Kong then returned home because of soundness issues.
But trainer Chad Ormsby has managed those issues superbly and he may have set some sort of record winning the Group 3 Concorde at only his third start.
And Belclare provided her grieving owner a moment of solace when she raced away to win the $500,000 Westbury Classic.
One of Belclare’s owners passed away just a few days ago and jockey Sam Spratt wore a black armband in respect.
Belclare did the rest, bolting in after Spratt’s race-winning move to go forward early from a wide draw.
“To win this for the owners at a sad time for them means a lot,” said Spratt.
