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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
Improved Mercurial to benefit from blinkers
Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • July 3rd, 2025 9:45 am
Mercurial will contest the Group One Turf Bar Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday | Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)
The son of Burgundy will step out in the Group One Turf Bar Sprint (1200m) on Saturday with promising apprentice Jack Taplin to retain the ride.
Mercurial only beat one runner home when he returned to action on the course three weeks ago following a five-month break, but trainer Stephen Marsh was satisfied with the six-year-old’s effort.
“I didn’t mind him first-up and he didn’t have the blinkers on. He needed the run and he’s taken natural improvement, I just hope we don’t get too much rain,” he said.
“He’s an easy horse to ride, he’s ideal for an apprentice so Jack will ride him again.”
Mercurial has met and matched the best short-course performers in his career with victory in the 2024 Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) off the back of a third in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m).
He hasn’t won since his success at Trentham and Marsh is likely to take a more conservative approach in the coming months.
“We’ve got a pretty good bunch of sprinters in New Zealand, and we’ll target the next level down of races with him,” he said.
“Hence the reason we’ll give him two or three runs this time in before a freshen-up and then go through the later spring or summer without targeting the major sprints, there’s still good money to be made.”
Mercurial has already proved to be a grand money-spinner for his breeder-owners with more than $590,000 banked from six wins and 18 minor placings.
Stablemate Sinhaman will bid to turn his fortunes around when presented third-up for the UBP Te Awamutu Cup (1600m).
The Tivaci four-year-old was an encouraging third when resuming two runs back and then finished midfield on the synthetic track at Cambridge.
“He’s a capable horse and didn’t get a lot go right for him the other day,” Marsh said.
“He carried a big weight (60.5kg) and got caught a bit wide and had to be exposed a bit early.
“He’s back down in the handicap and if he handles the track, I’m sure he’ll race very well.”
Meanwhile, Billy Lincoln will tackle the John F Grylls Memorial Classic (1400m) ahead of a possible trip to the Central Districts for the $100,000 Polytrack Championship (1400m) on August 3.
He has consecutive runner-up finishes on his home all-weather track to his credit.
“He’s going really well and thought with three weeks between the Cambridge synthetic meetings, we’d give him a run on the grass,” Marsh said.
“He might be one who heads down to the final at Awapuni for some bigger money,” Marsh said.
