Smart debut suggests more to come for Marengo

[Wandering Eyes]

The time given to allow promising three-year-old Marengo to grow into himself by his connections, paid a handsome dividend on the weekend when the flashy gelding demolished his rivals on debut.

Unbeaten in two trials, the son of Charm Spirit overcame the outside barrier of 14 in the hands of Warren Kennedy to sit outside the speed before dashing clear in the run home to win untouched by two lengths in the maiden 1200m contest.

Peter Williams, who prepares Marengo in partnership with his wife Dawn, had been keen on the chances of his charge but wasn’t sure how proceedings would play out given his unfavourable starting position.

“He had been pretty good in his two trials and we know he has a fair bit of ability, but when they draw the outside like that it does make it hard for them,” Williams said.

“He just had a few growing pains early on, so we tipped him out and gave him plenty of time to tell us when he was ready and that looks to have paid off.

“The way he won on Saturday and on what he has done at home suggests he could be a pretty handy horse down the track.”

Williams is keen to get some more experience under Marengo’s belt but was having trouble finding a suitable race for him in the next few weeks.

Trainer Peter Williams (right) with co-owner Daniel Nakhle after Marengo won the opening event a Pukekohe
Photo: Trish Dunell

“I’m pretty keen to step him out against his own age group next, but there is not a lot around for him,” he said.

“He’s good enough to tackle a race like the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) at the end of the month, but he just doesn’t have enough raceday experience so I wouldn’t do that to him.

“It’s more likely we will find a rating 65 somewhere and just take him along quietly.

“When he does mature I think he will get to open class easily enough, with the mile as his pet distance, so we have plenty of time to get him there without overdoing it right now.”

Out of the Shamardal mare Spurrendous, Marengo was a $70,000 purchase for co-owner Daniel Nakhle and his father Elias from the Kilgravin Lodge draft during the Book 2 National Yearling Sale at Karaka in 2021.

Placed at Group Two level at her second of just three raceday starts, Spurrendous is a daughter of Group One placed mare Spurcent, a half-sister to former Hong Kong star galloper Glorious Days who numbered the Gr.1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) amongst his eight career wins.

Williams also reported that Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) winner Desert Lightning had come through his latest run in good style, where he finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) at Awapuni.

“He (Desert Lightning) is ticking along nicely after producing a game run at Awapuni,” Williams said.

“We are just deciding on what we look at next, but I’m leaning towards the Championship Stakes (Gr.3, 2100m) back here at Pukekohe in a fortnight.

“We are just playing it by ear, but that could be his last run of this campaign as we have ruled Brisbane out as he has been up a long time and you want a horse that has a bit of freshness on their side if you are planning on heading over there.”

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