Marketplace at short odds to win in Sydney on Saturday

By Adam Hamilton 

Champion driver Luke McCarthy can’t wait to drive boom Kiwi pacer Marketplace in his Australian debut at Menangle on Saturday night.

Regan Todd’s four-year-old is a $1.50 favourite despite drawing the outside (he will start from gate 10) in a 2300m free-for-all.

His key rivals include Jason Grimson’s star speedster Hi Manameisjeff and Mick Stanley’s Ubetcha Tigerpie, who ran fourth in the Nullarbor and Fremantle Cup at Gloucester Park in April.

McCarthy took the reins when Marketplace beat Ubetcha Tigerpie comfortably in a slick 1min50.1sec mile trial at Menangle.

“It was everything you’d hoped for, he absolutely jogged it in,” McCarthy said.

“I’m sure it would have brought him on even more and this looks a good starting point, even from the wide draw.”

McCarthy said Marketplace gave him the feel of a “very serious horse.”

“I’ve driven him a couple of times now, the first was in (track) work before the NZ Derby when I was over there with Kingman,” he said.

“He’s really fast, but he’s strong, too.

“That’s why the 2300m rather than a mile should be a good starting point for him this week.”

It’s an important race for Marketplace just three weeks out from his major Aussie target, the $300,000 Group 1 Rising Sun at Albion Park on July 4.

“It’ll show us whether he needs another run, or can go straight into the Rising Sun,” McCarthy said.

“I think it’s a great idea to bring him over. A little trip away like this can help make a horse like him. I’ve seen it with some of my best horses.”

While champion mare Captains Mistress is all the rage for the Rising Sun at $1.50, McCarthy is heading towards the race with optimism.

“I know she’ll get a preferential draw and she’s very good, but I’d love Marketplace to draw the front, say four or five,” he said.

“He’s so fast out, I’d give him a chance of crossing them at the start if he drew to have a real crack at doing it.”

Todd plans to take Marketplace to Brisbane well ahead of the Rising Sun.

“I’m keen to give him a look around the track, whether that’s in a race, a trial or just a workout,” he said.

It’s an important race for the Kiwis given Marketplace is one of three key pacers seen as the hope to restore some pride after a couple of years of Aussie open-class dominance. Got The Chocolates and The Lazarus Effect are the others.

Todd confirmed Marketplace would head home after the Rising Sun to have a break and prepare for the NZ Cup.

That’s despite a potential victory in the Rising Sun earning him a golden ticket into the $1 million Brisbane Inter Dominion final.

“He doesn’t need to take on Leap To Fame on his home deck just yet, we can wait and do that back in NZ,” he said.