Marky Mark will make his long-awaited Australian racing debut in the 2015 Sandown Guineas and trainer Moira Murdoch is happy with the condition of the three-year-old ahead of the Group 2 event at Sandown tomorrow.
Michael Walker is set to ride Marky Mark in the 2015 Sandown Guineas this weekend. Photo by: Adrienne Bicknell
Marky Mark was sent to Australia after he finished fourth in the Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) at Hastings on October 3, but he struggled to cope with the trip across the Tasman and he was ruled out of the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day.
Murdoch told Racing Ahead that Marky Mark had now bounced back to full health and she is confident that the son of Makfi is ready to run well in the 2015 Sandown Guineas this weekend.
“He has had a few ups and downs since he got here, but I am happy with his condition now,” Murdoch said.
“He got a little bit travel sick when he got here, he wasn’t super sick with it, but he didn’t pick up and we couldn’t get him to eat or drink to start with.
“That knocked his blood around and we just couldn’t get him right.
“We thought we had him right coming into the Carbine Club, but he was just a little flat, so we have waited and hopefully our patience will be rewarded.”
Marky Mark made his racing debut in Ellerslie in December last year and he stamped himself as a horse to watch when he took out the Group 3 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at the same venue on January 1 before he took out the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni on March 28.
The three-year-old is set to step-up to 1600 metres for the first time in the Sandown Guineas, but Murdoch is confident that he will have no issues running out the trip strongly and believes that the three-year-old will get out to 2000 metres as an older horse.
“I am hoping that he is because it is a mile tomorrow,” Murdoch said.
“That is what he is telling us he is and I’m sure he will get the mile.
“I would be surprised if he doesn’t get 2000 metres – his mother did.
“We will put him to sleep on the fence, he is not a front-running horse.”
Marky Mark is currently available at 2015 Sandown Guineas odds of $21 with Ladbrokes, while Don’t Doubt Mamma ($4.20) is a narrow favourite from Mahuta ($5.50), He’s Our Rokkii ($7.50) and Ngarimu ($9).
