MARSHMAN OWNERS READY FOR ROYAL APPOINTMENT

Features | 19th June 2023

Group 1 glory on Flat racing’s most famous stage is an “unthinkable” prospect for the syndicate owners of crack sprinter Marshman.

Nick Bradley Racing’s three-year-old is set to take his chance in the King’s Stand Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot on Tuesday 20th June.

Retired maths teacher Craig Simms is one of 20 shareholders in the son of Harry Angel, who was snapped up for just £38,000 from the Goffs breeze-ups as a juvenile before proving himself at Pattern level.

“I’ll be at Royal Ascot hoping he can achieve the unthinkable,” he says. “I don’t know if I’ll be lucky enough to get into the parade ring before the race because of restrictions on numbers but I’ll definitely be in the winner’s enclosure if he wins!

“I have shares in 10 different horses with Nick and love every second of my involvement, from going racing to visiting the stables,” he adds. “I was lucky enough to own a share in Oaks second Mystery Angel but winning at Royal Ascot would be something else.”

Fellow owner and programme manager Graeme Curnow will be making the long journey from the Lake District with his wife Lindsey and friends, but it won’t be the first time he’s donned the top hat and tails as an owner.

“I was lucky enough to be at Royal Ascot when Guilded, another horse I had a share in, ran in the Windsor Castle Stakes a couple of years ago,” recalls Graeme, who loves the sport so much he’s now involved in 20 horses with Nick Bradley Racing.

“We’ll be arriving suited and booted for the big day and our horse is definitely there on his merits. He’s not had the luck of the draw this year but his trainer Karl Burke rates him highly and couldn’t be happier with him.”

Nick Bradley revealed that his Group 3 winner, who also holds an entry in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup, had been held up by a foot abscess earlier in the week but expects him to be fully fit for the five-furlong opening day showpiece.

“Marshman has been running well this year, winning a Group race in France before finding himself on the wrong side as the race unfolded in the Duke of York last month.

“He ran well in defeat back in France at Chantilly last time, despite being drawn on the wing. The track record was broken that day and he was beaten only half a length.

“It’s a great advert for my syndicates to have a runner in a Group 1 and he definitely has a strong each-way chance, even though he’s taking on the older horses,” says Nick, who could have five runners at the meeting.

Marshman won his first two races at Ayr and Thirsk as a two-year-old before finishing second to Noble Style in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York.

He ran too free when sent off favourite for the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes but re-appeared in April to clinch his Group race breakthrough at Chantilly en route to his Royal appointment.