Marketplace Completes Dominant Season with Another Group One

Marketplace (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) signed off his dominant two-year-old season in the best possible style, with victory in the $100,000 Group One Betavet Ace Of Spades (1980m) at Addington on Friday night.

The NZB Standardbred graduate left the judges for 2024 New Zealand two-year-old pacing colt or gelding of the year with little to think about as he ran to his second Group One victory for trainer Regan Todd and driver Craig Ferguson.

Todd was hopeful his star pacer could end his first racing campaign in style and he did exactly that with his win at short odds.

Marketplace can now head to the paddock with two Group One titles and a lucrative Harness Million title to his name.

“You want to go out on a good note as the top dog and he has done that,” Todd said.

“He’s done everything we have asked of him.”

Todd felt Marketplace had only improved since his last start victory in the Group One Sires Stakes Final (1980m) on New Zealand Cup Day.

And the trainer expects his pacing star to continue to improve with the benefit of a nice spell.

“He has just got better and better, so we are really looking forward to his three-year-old year.”
Driver Craig Ferguson is just as excited about the prospect of linking up with Marketplace in the huge number of feature races he can target next year.

“He’s had a super season and he’s done a super job, he’s just such a lovely horse,” Ferguson said.

“To top it off like that – he will head to the paddock now and have a spell and I think he will come back bigger and stronger as a three-year-old.”

Ferguson took Marketplace straight to the lead in Friday night’s Group One event.

The pacer relaxed beautifully but knew when it was time to get serious.

“He felt super tonight, he only does what he has to out in front.”

“He has always been a bit like that, but every time I ask him for a bit more he gives it to me.”

“When we got to the 400m he really wanted to rip into it and he got home nice.”

Marketplace was secured by Phil and Glenys Kennard of PI & GJ Kennard Bloodstock Ltd for $100,000 when he was offered among the Barron Bloodstock draft at the 2023 National Yearling Sale at Christchurch.

The Kennards race the son of Bettor's Delight with Peter Baken, Graham Beirne of Small Car World Ltd, John Magness and Todd.

Barron Bloodstock will offer a full sister (Lot 301) to the talented pacer at the 2025 National Yearling Sale at Christchurch on February 18.

Marketplace headed a trifecta of NZB Standardbred graduates in Friday night’s Group One event with Demon Blue (NZ) (Art Major) second and Miki B (NZ) (Always B Miki) third.

Vendor	Barron Bloodstock
Purchaser	PI & GJ Kennard Bloodstock Ltd
Breeding	Bettor’s Delight – Cullen Who Colt
Sale	National Standardbred Yearling Sale, Christchurch $100,000
Breeder	George & Maryanne Simon, Tony Barron, Gordon McKenzie, Tony Clark and Michelle Scanlon