15 Nov 2021A measure of the regard Stephen Marsh has for an expensive son of Almanzor in his stable is reflected in the first-up task he will set the youngster.
The colt was an impressive winner at the Taupo trials this afternoon when he claimed his 800-metre heat in the hands of Michael McNab.
The Cambridge trainer will give the two-year-old the earliest shot at black type with the G2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham on December 4 confirmed as his debut assignment.
A member of Almanzor's first crop, he was purchased out of Waikato Stud’s draft at Karaka in January with agent Bruce Perry signing the ticket at $420,000 on behalf of owner Lib Petagna.
“He’s a lovely colt who they paid a bit of money for and I’ve sent Lib an email saying we need to get him named this week,” Marsh said.
The colt was quickly into stride to dispute the pace and, under hands and heels riding, drew clear in the run home to score by three-quarters of a length.
“His first trial at Te Rapa was great when he ran second and then it was an absolute disaster from barrier rise in his second one at Matamata,” Marsh said.
“He got knocked from pillar to post, everything that could have gone wrong did. He bounced out of it perfectly though and it probably did him some good, his temperament is perfect.”
The youngster is out of the Savabeel mare Genius, who was successful on four occasions, and the family of the South African Group winners Hancock Park and her daughter Park Lane.