Marsh’s Team Primed for Karaka Millions Glory

[Wandering Eyes]

Stephen Marsh is no stranger to Karaka Millions success, and the Cambridge trainer believes his team for the 2025 edition at Ellerslie on Saturday could be his best yet.

Marsh is a two-time winner of the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) with Ruud Awakening (2013) and Velocious (2024). He has no runners in the juvenile showpiece this year, but will instead saddle nine runners across the other five feature races.

“In terms of numbers and depth, this has to be the best team we’ve taken into Karaka Millions night,” Marsh said. “I’m really happy with our runners.

“These are the days that you want to be well represented. It’s just going to be a brilliant night’s racing. I can’t wait and I think we’ve got some very nice chances through the card.”

According to the TAB markets, the best of those is Bourbon Empress (NZ) (Proisir), who holds $4.40 second favouritism behind Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) ($2.50) for the $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m).

Bourbon Empress began the season as a one-win horse and with a rating of 63. Her seven starts as a four-year-old have produced three wins, three placings and more than $270,000 in stakes, culminating in a last-start victory in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

“She’s come a hell of a long way in this preparation and just hasn’t put a foot wrong all the way through,” Marsh said. “Her last win was great and she’s trialled really nicely since.

“She’s got a bit of a sticky gate (12), and there’s an absolutely outstanding horse among her opposition tomorrow in Orchestral. But she really has come of age as a four-year-old and we think she can run well.”

Marsh’s second Aotearoa Classic runner is Imperial Empress (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), who was a winner at Ellerslie in October and hasn’t had all favours in four subsequent appearances.

“She hasn’t had a lot go her way, and she’s also been a bit green and new and done things wrong,” Marsh said. “The blinkers go on tomorrow and she’s drawn well (gate two). I’ve always thought she had above average ability. She just needs to put it all together. If she does that tomorrow, it wouldn’t surprise me to see her pick up some of the money.”

Marsh has three runners in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), headed by the $4.80 second favourite Bourbon Proof.

The son of Justify was a $130,000 purchase by Stephen Marsh Racing and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock from Book 1 of Karaka 2023. He picked up two second placings in November, including behind the highly talented Checkmate in the Listed Armacup 3YO Stakes (1500m) at Ellerslie.

Bourbon Proof stepped down to maiden company on December 20 at Matamata and romped to victory by almost three lengths. Runner-up Bella Montagna went on to place in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m), while the third-placed Mustang Morgan won the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) in his next start.

“Bourbon Proof is going super,” Marsh said. “His last win was very good, and his previous runs had a huge amount of merit too. He’s trialled nicely leading into this.

“He’s the sharpest of our trio, while Kiwi Skyhawk (NZ) (Contributer) and Balsan (NZ) (Ocean Park) are more your Derby style of horses. But they’re both going really well too and warrant their place in the field. When you have horses with their level of ability, you’d be silly not to run them in a $1.5 million race.”

Group One winner Mercurial (NZ) (Burgundy) tackles an elite sprinting line-up in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m).

“His run two starts ago was great,” Marsh said. “He then went down to try to defend his title in the Telegraph (Gr.1, 1200m), and I thought he performed decently there. He just stumbled at the start and got back and wide, so it didn’t really go right for him. It was a race to forget, really.

“This is the best sprint field I’ve seen in a long time, so he’s probably going to need to be at the absolute top of his game and then some.”

The remainder of Marsh’s team will line up in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m). Last-start Ellerslie placegetter Ardalio (NZ) (Ardrossan) has the strongest support at $10, with She’s Untouchable at $18 and I’m All In (NZ) (Zoustar) at $20.

“We had four entered originally, but Fillygizalook won’t run,” Marsh said. “The other three are all going well. They’re nice horses and in good form.

“They’re coming up against a brilliant field of three-year-old sprinters, but I don’t think they’re out of their depth.”

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