A new star in the Marketplace

The rise of Marketplace (Bettor’s Delight) in the last three months has captured all harness racing buffs and the first half of his three year old season was capped off last night in grand style when he won the $200,000 Garrards NZ Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington.

In last night’s feature the draw had people questioning Marketplace’s winning chances but when Deadline blasted forward from barrier six, Ferguson was quick to seize the moment from the second row, got a dream run through and importantly got in front of one of his main rivals Got The Chocolates. The next target was Bettors Anvil who had got to the top. Ferguson kept Marketplace rolling and he secured the front shortly after.

Heading for home, Ferguson pulled the removeable deafeners and Marketplace put two lengths on Got The Chocolates. At the end of the 1980 metres both horses were getting tired and the gap closed up to three quarters of a length at the finish, with Bettor’s Anvil six and a quarter lengths back in third.

MARKETPLACE REPLAY

“Craig was pretty impressed with the way he burnt through that gap from fourteen (barrier) to get to the front,” trainer Regan Todd said and Ferguson added “I didn’t expect to be there. I thought I was going to have to sit parked. But luckily the one in front of me went forward and we managed to poke through and got a good run after that.”

The winning time of 2-21.2 was 2.2 seconds outside of Ultimate Sniper’s race and New Zealand record.

“We’ve watched the replay a few times and you can’t speak highly enough of a horse like Got The Chocolates. He sat parked from the mile and was right there until the end. If you reversed the roles it’d be hard to split them,” Todd said.

Marketplace has now won ten of his sixteen starts and banked $672,396.

Todd commented, “With what he’s done he’s the best I’ve had. The thing is that I’ve had some real good ones given to me when I was at the beach, like Thefixer. This is the best one we’ve got from the sales and we’ve brought through.”

For the ownership group of Glenys Kennard, Phil Kennard, Peter Baken, Graham Beirne from Small Car World, John Magness and Todd, it’s been some ride.

For the Kennards who are fast closing in on 700 winners in this country and Baken, it’s been quite a month with their trotter Bet N Win winning the Group One Rowe Cup and now heading to the Brisbane Interdominion.

“The last couple of months for them have been unbelievable,” Todd said.

This is the fourth Sires’ Stakes the Kennards have won. Their previous winners were Lazarus in 2015, Ultimate Machete 2016 and Ultimate Sniper 2018.

John Magness has been in the game for a long time. His company Magness Benrow have been great sponsors of harness racing and are celebrating 80 years in business this year.

Graham Beirne has owned many good horses under the ‘Anvil’ umbrella and part owned 1997 Auckland Cup winner Kate’s First.

“He’s in Bali. He came on Cup Day for the Sires’ Stakes. He’s been a great man for our barn. He’s chucked a bit of money our way and we’re grateful for that. He’s living the dream living in Bali and winning Group Ones.”

The partnership of Todd and Ferguson – two young horsemen from the rural Southland town of Wyndham, has been part of the fairytale.

“It’s quite cool really. Blair drove him (Marketplace) at his first start and Bettors Anvil actually beat him and he said to me that day that there won’t be too much between Marketplace and Rubira. I thought, that’s coming from not a bad judge. Craig started to drive him and he didn’t have too much luck in two or three starts. After that he won the Sapling Stakes.”

Ferguson has now driven twenty four winners for his good friend, including four Group Ones behind Marketplace. His winning association with Todd goes back to Treacherous Gall winning at Winton in March 2023.

The Group One was Todd’s sixth in his fifteen seasons of training.

The night was also a salute to the great facilities at Lavros Lodge owned by Kypros Kotzikas  where Todd trains. Marketplace’s win was not the only one to come out of the barn last night. Derek and Adele Jones train last night’s Trotters Classic winner Eurostyle from the property and Southland visitors Duchess Maria and Beach Day who also won, have been in residence this week.

“You can’t speak highly enough of Kypros. He just lets us do our own thing. We’re very grateful being where we are.”

Todd says he doesn’t feel the pressure going into these big races with Marketplace.

“I don’t. It’s quite weird. I used to get more nervous when I was with Mark Jones and we had Master Lavros out at the beach. I felt more pressure then because he was paying me to do a job. With Marketplace I appreciate it more and just to have him is a privilege really.”

After a busy few months Marketplace will now be given a spell.

“He’ll go out now after getting vetted on Monday to check to see whether everything is all good before he goes to Brian and Kristie Hills. They’re just round the road and he’s gone there his whole life, so we’re not going to change it. He’ll have a month or five weeks then he’ll go back to the water walker at Brian and Lesley Courts’ for a couple of weeks.”

Todd says Marketplace has thrived this time in, handling the challenges really well.

“To his credit he takes it all in his stride. One thing I have noticed even in Auckland is that he’s grown. He doesn’t run around the paddock, is always sleeping, but as soon as you open the feed door he’s looking over the gate at you. He’s very intelligent and just a wee gem.”

There has been some buyer interest in the three year old but the ‘Not For Sale’ sign is up.

“We’ve had some pretty big ones and one big one after his two year old campaign. We all had a good yarn. I owned ten percent and said to everyone that the money wasn’t going to change my life. I’d rather have a horse like this,” Todd said.

Since the offers have been rejected Marketplace has gone on to win the NZB Standardbred Harness Million, the Northern Derby and the Sires’ Stakes Final.

“They just don’t come around every day these kinds of horses. Money can’t buy the thrill that you get winning big races.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink