By MIKE DILLON
Money is money and Bruce Marsh swears he respects it.
But an ability to ignore the stuff brought a win in yesterday's $350,000 Mercedes Derby at Ellerslie with Hail.
It takes nerve, but Marsh recently pleaded with co-owner Ali Cunningham not to sell Hail for $550,000.
Marsh thought he was putting buyers off when he put that startling price-tag on Hail after he won his maiden race at Otaki in the spring.
But someone came up with the $550,000 and Marsh admits he started to panic.
Said Cunningham: "I wanted to sell, but Bruce said, 'Please, let's hang on to him.'
"It was great judgment on his part."
Marsh admits that the $17,000 purchase "with a magnificent shoulder" has always impressed him as a coming topliner.
"He's a very, very good horse," said the Woodville trainer, enjoying the best season of his 28-year career.
Hail had to be good to catch South Island-trained Sir Clive in the final stages.
Grant Cooksley shot Sir Clive clear - perhaps a shade too far too soon - early in the home straight and Hail sprinted quickly to pick him up in the closing stages, going past so quickly he barely gave Sir Clive time to fight back.
Cooksley was adamant, though, that Sir Clive would still have won had he not stargazed once he got to the front in the straight.
Marsh rode a Melbourne Cup winner in Silver Knight but has never looked like winning a Derby in New Zealand either as a rider or a trainer.
"I hardly rode in it here."
But he won the Harp Ulster Derby when riding in Ireland for 12 months before increasing weight problems finished his career in the saddle in 1972.
"It wasn't much of a race, to be fair, but it was a lot of fun."
But there is a chance of more in store if Marsh's opinion of Hail is correct.
He intends giving the handsome chestnut a spell and aiming him for the AJC Derby in Sydney at Easter.
The win yesterday was the first in a Derby for 45-year-old jockey Noel Harris.
"Boy, that was terrific," he said. "I've tried so hard to win this race, but luck has always stood in the way - bad luck."
Harris' opinion of Hail almost matches Marsh's.
Sir Clive went close to bowing out of New Zealand racing with a Derby win.
He heads to John Size's Sydney stable, also set for the AJC Derby and will almost certainly then be sent to Dubai to be trained.
Racing: Derby winner repays trust of trainer
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