Racing: Marzemino steps up

Marzemino runs at Pukekohe tomorrow. Photo / Race Images

Peter Williams is harbouring Group One ambitions with talented Per Incanto mare Marzemino.

The Byerley Park trainer will produce Marzemino fresh-up in tomorrow's Roger Gill Agriculture 1200 at Pukekohe, the first step of a campaign that could lead to multiple Group One races this season.

"We're very happy with her. She's trialled up well in preparation for this," said Williams, who trains in partnership with his wife Dawn.

"She had a couple of quiet trials, one at Avondale and one at Waikato, and she's come through both well. She's a lot stronger this year."

Marzemino has won five of her 10 starts, all five at 1200m, but Williams believes she can run out a strong 1600m later in the season.

"We feel the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes at Te Aroha (over 1600m in April next year) is a Group One race that she's capable of winning but we've got a long way to go to get there," Williams said.

"She'll probably run in sprints on the way through. We'll look at the Railway (Gr.1, 1200m) and the Westbury (Gr.2, 1400m).

"The race on Saturday is a starting point but she's forward; she's ready. We'll see how she goes but I'm keen on freshening her for the Counties Bowl before we look at the Railway."

The Listed Counties Bowl (1100m) is run at Pukekohe on November 23.

The Williams stable will have two runners in tomorrow's open sprint with last-start Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) placed Midnight Runner returning to a track he has won on three times in six appearances.

"He's such an honest horse. He always tries hard and gives his best. He's all right until the tracks get really hard, so we'll keep going till the tracks firm up and then look at bringing him back in the autumn. He just needs to strike the right race with the right conditions."

The stable will also unleash two promising 3-year-old fillies at Pukekohe, with Per Incanto filly Perennial and Pins filly Couturiere both set to debut.

- NZ Racing Desk