Go Racing’s Penman enters NZB Kiwi calculations
Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh’s phone will likely be ringing red-hot following the win of Go Racing’s Penman at Tauranga on Friday.
The $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) is fast approaching and many of the slot holders have yet to show their hand and select their contender, and Marsh believes the classy three-year-old, is the perfect candidate.
The son of Contributer finished runner-up in his first two outings last year before breaking through for his maiden win over 1400m at Te Rapa last month and showed his class on Friday when running out a dominant victor in the Aerocool Developments (1400m).
Jumping from the ace barrier in a small but competitive field, Penman began well under jockey George Rooke, who quickly handed up the lead to Gold Card, who kept an honest tempo up front, opening up several lengths on his rivals during the middle stages of the race.
Rooke didn’t panic and slowly reeled in their foe and took the lead at the turn in unison with stablemate Tardelli on the outside. The pair entered a dogfight down the straight, with Penman coming out on top in the closing stages to score by 2-3/4 lengths, with a further 7-1/2 lengths back to NZB Kiwi contender Domain Ace in third.
“I have just taken my phone off silent just in case a (NZB Kiwi) slot holder would like to ring,” Marsh quipped. “It was very impressive.
“He jumped nice, Gold Card, as I thought, wanted to really run along a bit, and he got a beautiful trail. It looked like it was going to be a bit of a titanic struggle with the two stablemates, but he was good in the end.”
While hopeful of gaining an NZB Kiwi berth with Penman, Marsh said both of his three-year-olds have bright futures.
“They are two very nice horses that are certainly going places,” he said.
Bred by Mapperley Stud’s Simms Davison, Penman was purchased by Toro Bloodstock out of the Book 1 Sale at Karaka in 2023, and he is raced by Toro Bloodstock Ltd and the Go Racing Penman Syndicate.