Godolphin’s New Zealand-bred up-and-comer Marquess made a bold statement at Rosehill on Saturday with a commanding victory in the A$160,000 Irresistible Pools & Spas Handicap (1900m).
It was the fifth win in the last six starts for the lightly-raced gelding, who has now had a total of 10 career starts for five wins, two placings and A$270,400 in stakes.
A back-to-back winner as a four-year-old, Marquess collected another two victories last month to extend his winning sequence to four. He was narrowly beaten by Howgoodareyou at Rosehill on September 9, but had a rematch with that rival on Saturday and turned the tables in style.
The five-year-old was ridden by Zac Lloyd, who settled him in third place and was unfazed when Special Swey surged forward and put the pace on through the middle stages of the race.
Marquess was still third rounding the home turn, but Lloyd brought him up alongside Howgoodareyou and pushed the button 300m from home. Marquess changed gears instantly and burst clear, clearing out to win by two and a half lengths.
“That’s the way to ride the horse,” trainer James Cummings said. “He was patient and didn’t chase the pace when the pace was going into the race in the middle stages. He got him clear in the home straight and it was almost picture-perfect.
“That’s the way to ride him, and the horse has got up and blown them away. He’s a horse who’s going places. He’s promising. I don’t think we’ve seen the best of him yet.
“He keeps elevating. It’s difficult to predict the ceiling with horses like these – particularly since we’ve been so patient with him and he’s such a lightly-raced five-year-old.
“He’s got a lot of rating points to catch up on against a bunch of good horses his age. But he’s very fit now, and we can just keep him ticking over and keep our options open.
“He keeps savaging the line, and he’s a very interesting horse in our stable.”
By the late Cambridge Stud stallion Tavistock, Marquess is out of the multiple Group One-winning mare Purple, who boasts the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2400m) on her resume. Marquess is bred and raced by Godolphin.
Marquess was the second New Zealand-bred winner from the first three races on the Rosehill card, following on from Peace Officer in the Midway Handicap (1300m).
Now with three wins and three placings to his name from 10 career starts, the Clarry Conners-trained Peace Officer is by Iffraaj out of the Commands mare Coyote Miss.
Peace Officer was bred by Jamieson Park.