Racing: Ombre Rose puts spotlight on Marr

As a jockey Shane Marr was limited - he had very little ability.

Those are his words, not the Herald's.

Marr rode only two career winners, but he is now very much one of the emerging trainers from the South Island.

The form of Ombre Rose has brought that to everyone's attention, but that simple fact made Marr shake his head in the Riccarton birdcage on Saturday.

The six-from-seven filly has generated a huge amount of publicity because she is owed by racecaller Reon Murtha, his son Sheldon and Michelle House, wife of prominent harness trainer and breeder Michael House.

The spotlight became even brighter on Saturday when Ombre Rose became the focus of punter speculation on whether or not she was an anchor in the $750,000 Pick6.

The doubt surrounded whether or not she would successfully manage a rain-affected track for the first time.

Marr and his team of owners were relieved when she easily coped with the footing, but the Riccarton trainer still had a furrowed brow.

"You know it's frustrating," he said with deep conviction, "you get a real good horse like this for the first time and people think you've suddenly learned how to train properly.

"In fact, she's easier to train than any horse [I've had]."

That type of thought pattern is probably expected from Marr.

He is determined to succeed and was never prepared to allow his failure as a jockey to determine his future in the racing industry.

One of Marr's main rivals these days is the stable of Peter and Dawn Williams, where he served his apprenticeship.

"I had only 30 rides. I wasn't much good."

Marr stayed on with the Williams when he finished riding then through Cambridge trainer Royce Dowling landed a job in the Sydney stable of Barry Lockwood.

Returning home he spent a year learning the other side of the industry on Bill Borrie's Richfields Stud at Te Kauwhata then became stable foremen for Patrick Campbell when he was training at Palmerston North.

"My wife and I had to do something dramatic to get a stake to start training so we spent four years working in Japan and sent every bit of money back to New Zealand before we could spend it."

The Marrs started training in New Zealand five years ago.

Even though money might have been tight they knew the way to the top was through good horses and they were ruthless in culling their team from the bottom.

Ombre Rose has given them the publicity they need.

"We broke in her half brother by Danasinga, but he went to Hec Anderton to be trained because the team were looking to flick him on to Asia," said Marr.

"When this filly [Ombre Rose] came along I said we'd break her in provided we could train her."

Marr said he felt pressure for the first time on Saturday.

"We always knew she was the best filly in the South Island, but she had to win this race to confirm it.

"There were a lot of people saying she wouldn't manage the rain-affected track, but I wasn't worried about that so much as the combination of the footing and the 2000m.

"Individually those two factors were never going to be a problem, but combined they did have the potential to bring her undone.

"But once she was in the birdcage I knew she'd win. She looked the best of them and she was ridden as if she was the best horse in the race."

Brian Hibberd rode Ombre Rose confidently, taking it to the opposition by leading early in the run home with a tough 400m in front.

Her superiority could be seen by everyone when Ombre Rose pricked her ears inside the final 150m.

Matamata filly Lady Atire tried hard and Mystify probably did not have any favours sticking to the inside in the final stages, but there is no question the best filly won.

Marr is not one to push his head too far into the clouds, even with six wins from seven starts behind him.

"If she comes up at four - and a lot of them don't - we'll aim her at a couple of group one races.

"If she's good enough for that, well and good, if not, we'll reassess," said the trainer.