Stephen Marsh is working with a new look Well Written as she progresses toward the opening of her spring campaign at Ellerslie, with the riches of Sydney to follow.
The Cambridge trainer is delighted with the condition of his star performer, who has already passed the first test of her preparation with flying colours.
“There’s definitely a physical difference about her, she’s a lot thicker and more mature,” Marsh said.
“It’s fair to say that she was a touch slight, but she’s a much stronger model this time in.”
Well Written stretched her legs on her home synthetic track last Friday with regular rider Matthew Cartwright aboard.
“She had a quiet jump-out on the polytrack with Cartwright in the saddle and she went beautifully,” Marsh said.
“She pulled up well and happy, he felt she has really strengthened and was very complimentary on how she looked and felt.
“She’ll trial before the first at Te Rapa on August 8 and maybe Taupo, there are other options, she’ll have an exhibition gallop somewhere.”
Marsh has circled the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie on September 5 as Well Written’s season-opener before she heads to Australia.
“She’ll kick off there and, all going to plan, she’ll either go to the Silver Eagle (Gr.3, 1300m) or the Epsom (Gr.1, 1600) into the A$10 million Golden Eagle (Gr.1, 1500m),” he said.
“She’s got to take that next step up to the big guns now, but we’re confident in her to do that. It’s very exciting.”
Well Written went through her six-start three-year-old campaign unbeaten, with thoroughbred powerhouse Yulong buying into the filly before her Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) victory.
She subsequently added the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m), $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) to her roll of honour.
Meanwhile, stable stalwart El Vencedor is also progressing well, but the multiple Group One winner’s spring campaign has yet to be locked in.
“We’re giving him a good, long and slow build-up. He’ll jump-out in a couple of weeks and will cruise around and trial,” Marsh said.
“We’re not going to be rushing him to get to anything in particular at this stage.”
In the more immediate future, Marsh is confident his three runners will all be prominent at Wednesday’s all-weather meeting at Cambridge.
Kasukedo will be ridden by George Rooke with Jack Taplin aboard Lerado when they clash in the Seahorse Supplements (1550m), while Tom Wigram will partner Proud Capitalist in the AP Gollan Property Valuers MAAT Final (970m).
“Kasukedo is going really well and a couple of kilos off Lerado’s back will certainly be a big help, and Proud Capitalist was very good last start and she’ll have four kilos off,” Marsh said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
