Master Marko continued to make an impression since returning to New Zealand at Riccarton Park on Saturday, picking up his second victory in four starts with a decisive display in the Heatstore Open Handicap (1400m).
The son of Contributer is owned by trainer Kelvin Tyler and his wife Vanessa, who campaigned him across the Tasman for just shy of two years after he placed in the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1500m) as a three-year-old.
After collecting four wins racing in Queensland, Master Marko returned to his homeland in the late autumn and made an immediate statement first-up for second at Ashburton, before putting on a 6 ½ length demolition job in the Oamaru Cup (1600m).
The win gave Tyler confidence to move forward into last Saturday’s Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) where the gelding finished seventh, 2 ¾ lengths from the winner in Jay Bee Gee. Reverting back to 1400 metres on the final day of the carnival, Master Marko was rated the $3.80 race-favourite ahead of Epee Beel ($5.60).
Local apprentice jockey Yogesh Atchamah allowed Master Marko to find his feet early in the testing conditions and settled in the second-half of the field, while top-weight Conor O’Ceirin went straight to the head of the field setting a genuine tempo. Tracking Epee Beel into the straight, Atchamah pulled Master Marko to the outside and set up a battle to the post with Lord Darci, with Master Marko proving too strong in the finish scoring comfortably by 1 ¾ lengths.
Tyler had been wary of the track deteriorating throughout the card and was pleased to see the gelding’s class prevail.
“I thought his run in the Winter Cup was probably a little bit disappointing, but he just couldn’t get rolling when he needed too and what not,” he said.
“There was a bit of speed in that race today and they’ve come off the back of it so that really helped him too. It’s a relief really because I wasn’t sure how he would handle that track.
“We’ll go home and give him a freshen-up and regroup, we’ll take it from there. There are some nice races coming up and another nice race here, so we’ll keep ticking away.
“I think a better track will be even better, so we’ll just get today out of the road and enjoy it.”
Atchamah collected a double on the card after winning earlier aboard Riviera Rebel, in a meeting where the southern apprentices jockeys were to the fore with Denby-Rose Tait collecting a treble and Donovan Cooper also saluting.
“It’s a big effort for me, it’s hard to win a race at a big meeting like this but I’m proud of myself,” Atchamah said.
“He’s a very good horse and I just listened to Mr Tyler’s instructions, he told me if I get going at the 600 metres just keep going and rolling with him and it paid off.”
Bred by Raffles Dancers, Master Marko has earned north of $222,000 with six wins and 14 minor placings in 41 starts.
The six-year-old holds early nominations for both the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) and the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2050m) during the upcoming Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival.