Breakthrough boosts Markham's new year hopes

The six-year-old pacing gelding scored his first win in 15 months by taking out The Northern Oasis Pace at Boort on Monday.

His previous most recent win at Northam (Western Australia) in September of 2021 pre-dated Markham and his young family's move to Charlton early last year.

Riverina Flash was not even trained by Markham at that time, but was one of a number of horses the now 38-year-old trainer-driver brought across with him from Western Australia.

There was as much of a sense of relief as there was joy as the gelding finally delivered on his promise with a fast-finishing win at Boort.

"He's probably been his own worst enemy. He's had a couple of chances to win," Markham said.

"He galloped at St Arnaud (on November 20) and looked like an absolute monster and a couple of times he has led and not done much, or not wanted to go past the leader.

"He's been frustrating, but I knew eventually he was going to do the right thing.

"He's got a bit of ability, but probably has more problems and can do some silly things.

"But his last couple of weeks of work he has really turned the corner.

"I get a bit nervous as every time I think I've got on top of him he falls off the perch, but his last fortnight has been very good."

Markham has plotted a quick back-up for Riverina Flash, who will be one of three starters for the stable at Ballarat on Friday night.

"While we've got him going good, we'll keep on going," he said.

"There wasn't anything for him until Charlton the week after (January 13), but he's pretty good at backing up.

"He doesn't put in enough to knock himself around, so I thought rather than giving him two weeks, we'd go Friday.

"He ate up everything (after Monday), so it didn't knock him around."

Having seen one long drought already broken early in the new year, Markham rated Sammys Ideal as an outside hope of doing likewise at Ballarat.

The veteran pacer has not won since May of 2021 at Wagin, but is a capable performer on his day.

"He's probably been in the same boat as Riverina Flash, he's really promised the world and looked like a winner more often than not, but once I've got him, something seems to be not quite right," he said.

"His run last start was probably one of his better ones and his work has been similar or as good since.

"It's just a sticky draw (barrier four) and a little bit better field, but if he goes well enough, he has the ability to match it with some of the better ones."

The stable's third runner is Magic Matteo, a winner at Charlton early last month and fourth in his next two starts at Swan Hill and Horsham.

On the winner's list early in 2023, Markham is hopeful of capitalising on the momentum.

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One definite cause for optimism is the development of Codename Marcus.

The now four-year-old showed definite signs of promise by qualifying for last year's Group 1 Victoria Derby and has emerged as a bigger and stronger horse following a well-earned spell.

"He's probably three or four weeks away from the races, but we'll just wait and see how he develops," Markham said.

"Although he got to the derby, he probably wasn't 100 per cent right in himself and he was at the end of a long campaign.

"He'd been up since I got here - nine or 10 months - so he did a great job for a likely immature horse.

"He had a good spell and has come back in good order. It's probably the best and biggest I've seen him look.

"Ideally, we'd love to head to Sydney and maybe have a crack, but he has to take a really big step. That bar's pretty high.

"I think we've got a bit of a country cups horse in the next 12 months, but we'll wait and see how it plays out and let him do the talking."

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