Marsden's Masterful Run Rolls On

There's little surprise Condell Park trainer Ron Marsden is batting at a 51% winning strike-rate with the current firepower he has at his disposal.

At Maitland last Thursday, hugely exciting youngster Hardaway Titan made it seven from seven to begin his blossoming career, the son of Barcia Bale and My Lady Day scoring over the 400m in a flying 22.13.

Dropping back to the sprint trip off two flying 450m victories, it was Hardaway Titan's litter-brother Cee Jay's Boy that started favourite for the event from box eight, fresh off a staggering 22.25 Bulli 400m success a week earlier.

But it was Hardaway Titan that prevailed in the sibling clash, leading all-the-way for a dominant victory by a mammoth 7 ¾ lengths.

Enjoying a great run of success, Marsden has tasted victory with 14 of his past 21 runners, a remarkable achievement in anyone's language.

Undefeated Fontezza Wins Golden Muzzle 

THE dream start to the career of exciting youngster Fontezza continued at Lithgow on Saturday with the promising galloper maintaining his unbeaten record to land the time-honoured Lithgow Golden Muzzle Final (506m).

Trained by leading local conditioner John Chapman, Fontezza, a son of Swift Fancy and Contezza Fonic, made it four from four to begin his career in the $4,000 to-the-winner finale, defeating odds-on favourite Caitlyn Keeping, winner of the Group 2 Black Top in September,  by 1 ¼ lengths in a fast 29.57.

Earlier in the program, John Buttsworth's talented chaser Millionaire Max flew over the 506m in a sizzling 29.34 to claim the John Doggett Memorial, the son of Oaks Road going within two lengths of Nimble Lee's 29.26 track record, set way back in 2006.

Poco Dorado Claims Keybow Cup

Just a week on from claiming the trifecta in the Group 3 Summer Cup Final at Wentworth Park, littermates Poco Dorado, Blue Moon Rising and Veloce Nero were at it again at Ladbrokes Gardens on Saturday night, filling the placings in the $15,000 to-the-winner Sires On Ice Keybow Cup (715m).

Otherwise known as the Newcastle Cup, won by some former top stayers, including the likes of Miagi, Zipping Lad and Smart Valentino, just the five runners went around in Saturday night's feature, taken out by NSW's number 1 stayer Poco Dorado in a sizzling 41.55, just outside Big Butters' 41.54 track record set earlier this year.

Scoring by five lengths over litter-brother Blue Moon Rising with another length to litter-sister Veloce Nero – providing the same finishing positions as the Summer Cup a week earlier – Saturday night's effort continued the insatiable run of success trainer John Finn is enjoying with his star stayers.

The victory at the weekend was Poco Dorado's 27^th of her career, the daughter of Fernando Bale and Chica Destacada's prizemoney rapidly closing in on the cool $300,000 mark.