Stephen Marsh’s first day back at work following a European holiday was brightened by the arrival of a well-related youngster.
It was business as usual on Monday at his successful Cambridge stable, which is now home to a sibling to a Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) contender.
“The full-brother to Grunt, who looks a beauty, came off the float here, so I’m pretty excited about him,” Marsh said.
The O’Reilly youngster is owned by Marsh’s fellow trainers Ben Foote and Finbarr Leahy and Riversley Park principal Sam Beatson and was a $100,000 purchase out of Trelawney Stud’s 2017 draft at Karaka.
“He did a bit of work with Finbarr before he came here and he’s looking good,” Marsh said.
The two-year-old is out of the Van Nistelrooy mare Ruqqaya, who is a half-sister to the former New Zealand Horse of the Year and multiple Group One winner Ocean Park.
Also bred and sold by Trelawney, Grunt was a $220,000 buy at Karaka in 2016 and has won four of his five starts for Caulfield trainer Mick Price, including the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington in the autumn.
