Stephen Marsh’s big career goal may have been over before it started this season, but he still has a premiership target set for the remainder of the racing term.
Marsh will finish second on the New Zealand trainer’s premiership for the fourth straight season and could be forgiven for wondering “what if”.
If the giant Te Akau machine didn’t exist, first backing Jamie Richards and now Mark Walker, Marsh would be well on his way to his fourth consecutive premiership and being touted one of the great trainers in New Zealand history. Instead he will finish runner-up for the fourth straight season and it was never even close as his 80 wins put him 95 behind the record-breaking Walker.
Marsh is in a league of his own in second, 39 wins ahead of third-placed Robbie Patterson.
Marsh had at least a sniff of the premiership last season and would still love to win it, but with the horse numbers not in his favour he focuses on what he can control.