New Zealand star El Vencedor on track for Group One QE II Cup after overcoming hoof abscess
New Zealand trainer Stephen Marsh is confident El Vencedor has shrugged off a hoof abscess and will be at his peak for Sunday's Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) at Sha Tin.
The four-time Group One winner was restricted to light work in the quarantine trotting ring from last Friday to Monday after undergoing treatment for lameness in his left hind leg.
Bronte Forbes, the Jockey Club's Head of the Department of Veterinary Regulation, Welfare and Biosecurity, inspected El Vencedor on Monday and cleared him to complete trackwork on Tuesday morning.
The six-year-old did some light work on the all-weather track, pleasing his handler ahead of his tilt at Sunday's HK$28 million feature.
That is really special. What a last 200m!
But he's electric and it's the big EV with the big motor fought and fought.
In honour of Big Red, El Vencedor wins the Bonecrusher Stakes from @Ellerslie_Races.
Ridden by Wiremu Pinn, and it's back to back Group 1s for @marshracing pic.twitter.com/nM49HeDaqC — Trackside NZ (@TracksideNZ) March 8, 2025
'Very happy with him,' Marsh said after watching El Vencedor's work on Tuesday.
'He just had a little minor abscess in a hind foot, but he's been working in the quarantine sand and he's out on the track today moving beautifully and freely.
'It took a bit to get past the big screens – I don't think he'd seen himself on a big screen before, but he's great. He'll gallop on Thursday, Zac [Purton] will ride him on the turf and I think we're right on track.'
El Vencedor brings career-best form to Hong Kong with four consecutive wins, including three at Group One level – the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2,000m), Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1,600m) and Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2,000m).
The big EV with the big motor.
in the Gr.1 @SportNationNZ Otaki-Maori WFA Classic from @ellerslie, it is El Vencedor who wins it!
Ridden by Wiremu Pinn and trained by @marshracing
What a race. What a horse. That's simply special.
Proud he'll be representing NZ in Hong Kong 🇳🇿🇭🇰 pic.twitter.com/NSuNNELMar — Trackside NZ (@TracksideNZ) February 22, 2025
While he faces a tough task against fellow internationals such as French star Goliath and Japan's Liberty Island and Prognosis, El Vencedor has the advantage of being ridden by seven-time champion Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton.
'He's the King of Hong Kong, you'd say, and it's brilliant to have him on,' Marsh said of Purton.
'One of the owners' friends is good friends with Zac, so they got in touch with him early on and he was more than happy to take the ride a fair way out.
'He'd done the form on the horse and felt he might be the right kind of horse to ride, so it's great when he's got confidence in you.'
Chasing his second QE II Cup success after booting home Exultant in 2020, Purton is optimistic El Vencedor can bring his hot form to Hong Kong.
'He's been racing really well, very consistently at a high level going left and right-handed and he can handle different types of ground, so he's versatile,' Purton said.
'Hopefully he can draw a nice gate and roll forward and if he has to lead, he leads. If something else wants to go, he's able to take a sit. It's nice to pick him up, I'm happy to be on him and to give him a chance.'
El Vencedor will be the first international runner for 44-year-old Marsh, who has prepared more than 1,000 winners and is the son of Bruce Marsh, a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey and successful Singapore-based trainer.
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