Stable chasing Group One clean sweep
Paul Vettise • November 14th, 2025 10:49 AM • 3 min read
A quartet of top-flight contenders on Saturday will give Stephen Marsh a decent shot at completing a memorable elite-level double at Riccarton.
The Cambridge trainer’s hopes will rest on the dependable shoulders of Swiss Prince and his male counterpart Magic Carpet while fillies To Cap It All and Little Black Dress complete a quality attack.
They give Marsh every chance in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) to complete a Classic clean sweep following Well Written’s demolition of her rivals in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) on the opening day of the carnival.
The unbeaten filly justified her short-priced favouritism in dazzling fashion and on Saturday it will be the current third market elect Swiss Prince ($5.50) who gets the nod as Marsh’s top seed.
“He just keeps going ahead, every run he gets better and he’s the ultimate professional,” Marsh said.
“He’s done nothing wrong since his last start, and everything has just gone perfectly for him.”
Swiss Prince has won at his last two appearances, including success most recently in the Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Tauranga.
“He relaxes and travels well, he is so unassuming and at the end of a big mile you know he’s going to be there. He’s got no chinks in his armour,” Marsh said.
Magic Carpet ran sixth in the Sarten and a better guide to the son of Satono Aladdin’s chances was his previous victory in the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m).
“It’s a tighter track at Tauranga and he’s come on really well since then, coming back left-handed over a mile on a big track will suit him,” Marsh said.
“Jonathan Riddell sticks with the ship and he can turn his form around. I think his last start was a forgive run.”
To Cap It All booked her passage south when she finished runner-up to Swiss Prince in the Sarten and she has already made an impact at the top level after her third placing in last season’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).
“It was a very good run last time and she’s bounced out of it without a problem,” Marsh said.
“Hopefully, she can get some cover and she’s got a really good turn of foot if she can be held up to give her every chance to get the mile at Riccarton.”
Little Black Dress was a distant second to Well Written in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) to confirm her place in the 1000 Guineas, but her chances were gone at barrier rise last Saturday.
“I thought she would have been a good chance to get some of it, but nothing went right,” Marsh said.
“She was slowly away and got back to an impossible position.
“Her sectionals were good though and if there’s a bit of rain around then it wouldn’t worry her, she just needs to jump well to give herself every chance.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
