Racing
League
Rugby
Football
Cricket
Golf
Sport Nation
Motorsport
Netball
Basketball
Combat Sports
Olympics
Other Sports
Marsh proud of team effort ahead of Thoroughbred Awards
Duncan Perkinson • August 4th, 2026 1:20 pm
Well Written (on the rails) beats home Belle Cheval in the NZB Kiwi on Champions Day at Ellerslie in March. Photo Credit: Race Images
Stephen Marsh will head to the New Zealand Thoroughbred Awards next month as one of two finalists for Best Trainer, alongside Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, after a standout season for his Cambridge stable.
Speaking to Sport Nation's Scotty and Izzy, Marsh reflected on a campaign packed with feature-race success. “We're very proud and it has been a great year.”
With the new season already underway, his focus has quickly shifted to what comes next.
He also praised the current health of the racing industry, saying there is genuine momentum around the sport. With strong horses, improved prizemoney and growing public interest, he believes New Zealand racing is in a good place.
“There is a good hype and a buzz around racing at the moment, and long may it continue.”
Marsh noted a key part of his success is the team behind the scenes. While his name is on the license, Marsh was quick to highlight the long hours and dedication of his staff, many of whom are up long before dawn in cold Waikato winters.
“I'm the conductor I suppose,” he said, while making it clear the stable’s results are built on loyalty, systems and hard work.
Among last season’s biggest highlights was Well Written’s unbeaten season, particularly the thrilling win in the NZB Kiwi on Champions Day at Ellerslie.
Marsh said the filly’s ability to carry 58kg to victory showed her quality, especially given the strength of the race and where the horses who finished behind her, had come from in the running.
Encouragingly, Well Written has developed further since that campaign, with Marsh noting she has grown, thickened and now looks a more complete horse.
The public will get a chance to see her at Te Rapa trialing prior to Race 1 this coming Saturday.
She is heading toward the first leg of the Triple Crown, the Proisir Plate at Ellerslie on September 5th, and said the stable could have as many as three runners in the race, with both Tardelli and Media World in the mix.
Listen to the full interview below:
