Stephen Marsh’s main focus with Nest Egg this preparation is to go one better in one of the country’s iconic staying events, but he also hasn’t ruled out a tilt at a weight-for-age feature.
The Cambridge trainer produced the son of Westbury Stud’s Reliable Man for a second-up victory in the open 2100 metre handicap at Ellerslie on Saturday to emphasise the six-year-old’s readiness to tackle all upcoming options.
“I certainly didn’t expect him to win, I thought he could run top four, and it’s really nice to be back here at headquarters and the better track suited him,” Marsh said.
Nest Egg won last season’s Listed Metropolitan Trophy at Riccarton before he finished runner-up in the G3 New Zealand Cup and he will again be heading south for another crack at the staying double.
However, Marsh has also entered the gelding in the G1 Livamol Classic and he could take in the Hastings feature on his way to Christchurch.
“We put in a cheeky nomination for the Livamol, I think it will fall away a bit so I’m not saying no,” he said.
“The New Zealand Cup is worth $400,000 so that is his main target.”
Nest Egg lobbed along in midfield at Ellerslie before he circled runners 700 metres from home to be in contention at the top of the straight and finished determinedly for his sixth career victory.
“He feels a bit stronger now and is moving better,” winning rider Warren Kennedy said.
“He did a good job and picked them up smartly and without the blinkers on, he gawked around so there’s improvement to come.”
Nest Egg is out of the Bahhare mare Run To The Bank, who was successful on three occasions and placed at Listed level.
She is a half-sister to the multiple winner and G1 New Zealand Derby third Charlie Horse with their dam Rebus, who won four times up to 1500 metres and posted a trio of stakes placings.
