Trainer Stephen Marsh looks to be in for a good spring with a pair of promising gallopers after Burn To Shine and Financier provided the quinella in the Ardrossan 1200 (1200m) at Te Rapa.
Both horses had looked good in their brief careers to date with Burn To Shine closing out his two-year-old preparation with a fighting third behind Tokyo Tycoon and Trobriand in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m).
Given two trials to prepare for his new season debut, the strapping son of So You Think was sent out the $3.10 favourite ahead of his stablemate and didn’t disappoint, courtesy of a copybook ride by last season’s National Jockeys premiership winner, Michael McNab.
McNab had him positioned beautifully one off the rail behind the pacemakers, and when asked for an effort early in the home straight he bounded clear before holding out Financier comfortably in the final stages to win by just over a length.
Marsh was delighted with the result as he looks towards bigger targets over the next few months for his charge.
“He is a lovely horse (Burn To Shine) and it is never easy taking on the older horses,” Marsh said.
“He just got bogged down a little at his last trial but back on better footing today he showed his rue worth.
“There were some nice horses behind him, so it is pretty exciting.
“He might go down to Hastings next for the El Roca (Listed 1200m) and he will be certainly heading towards the Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m) and then I’d love to get to the 2000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) at Riccarton.”
Marsh was also pleased with the performance by Financier.
“It was always going to be short of his best today, but up to 1400m next and then a mile, he will be a horse you can follow in the spring,” he said.
McNab shared the enthusiasm of Marsh for the winner who he believes has more in store for him.
“He showed good ability today although his brain has taken a little while to catch up to his body,” he said.
“The main thing is he needs to improve mentally and if he can then I don’t see any reason why he can’t on to better things.”
Bred by owner Dick Karreman at his The Oaks Stud, Burn To Shine is out of the top class racemare Smoulder who numbered the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) amongst her four race wins while she was also placed in both the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).