A rewarding family association will continue for Stephen Marsh on Saturday when the race day covers come off a well related three-year-old at Ellerslie.
The Cambridge trainer has a 100 percent winning record with fillies from Snitzel mare Parmalove, and he is hoping that trend continues when Acclivitous debuts in the Myracehorse Maiden (1200m).
Marsh prepared her older half-sibling Velocious to win six races, including the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), to earn the daughter of Written Tycoon champion juvenile honours.
Another half-sister, Alacritous, followed in the family footsteps when the Dundeel filly was successful at Matamata last season, and now Acclivitous gets her chance to show she’s inherited a good measure of the family ability.
“She’s got a great action and I really liked the way she has trialled up on good tracks,” Marsh said.
“Her work has been very good as well, she’s drawn well and with (Michael) McNab on she ticks a lot of boxes.
“It looks like a tidy field, so it will be a good measuring stick, and this is the same race that Well Written came through last year.”
Marsh said there were physical similarities between Acclivitous and her esteemed half-sister Velocious.
“They are both scopey types and this filly is probably as athletic as Velocious,” he said.
Provided Acclivitous runs up to expectations on debut, she could return to Ellerslie on October 17 for the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m).
By P"er Incqanto (USA), she is the most expensive of Parmalove’s yearling offspring to race in Albert Bosma’s Go Racing colours after she was knocked down for $375,000 at Karaka.
Go Racing outlaid $190,000 for Velocious as a yearling, and she was secured last year by Yulong Investments for A$1,625,000 via the Inglis Digital July Sale.
Alacritous was purchased for $300,000 and trialled this week at Ellerslie ahead of opening her four-year-old season.
“She had a very quiet trial and will have one more before she heads back to the races,” Marsh said.
Meanwhile, the stable’s pin-up girl Well Written has breezed through her victory stroll in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) ahead of her Australian venture to tackle the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and A$10 million Golden Eagle (1500m).
“She’s brilliant and has done everything perfectly since Ellerslie, she hasn’t missed a beat,” Marsh said.
Well Written has been ridden by Matt Cartwright throughout her seven-start unbeaten domestic career but will make way for Zac Lloyd in her two-start Sydney campaign.
In her absence, Marsh will still have two contenders for the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) with Media World and El Vencedor heading to Hastings on Saturday week.
“Media World has been good in both of his runs, there might be a bit of a question mark at the mile but there are plenty of good 1200 to 1400m races to bring him back to, if need be,” he said.
“El Vencedor trialled very fresh on Tuesday and that will bring him on. 11 days between a trial and the race will be ideal for him.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
