Grant Cooksley came tantalisingly close to getting his hands on the Melbourne Cup as a jockey, and he is hoping to rectify that on Tuesday as a trainer when he lines-up Trust In You in the two-mile feature.
Th South Auckland horseman rode in several editions of the time-honoured race, including a runner-up performance behind Kingston Rule in 1990 aboard the Murray Baker-trained The Phantom.
This week Cooksley, who trains in partnership with Bruce Wallace, will have his chance to go one better in the race courtesy of Group Three winner Trust In You.
The six-year-old son of Sweynesse, who won the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day, heads into the Melbourne Cup in good form after finishing fourth in the Gr.1 Metropolitan (2400m) and Gr.3 St Leger Stakes (2600m) at Randwick in his last two outings, and Cooksley is hoping he can continue his rich vein of form on Tuesday.
“He is going along alright,” said an understated Cooksley. “The owners want him there and he has done well to get there. It is a good race with a good crowd. Hopefully he can go a good race, which he should do.”
Trust In You will be Cooksley’s first Melbourne Cup runner as a trainer, and he said there is a bit more pressure involved compared to being a jockey in the great race.
“You have got more to worry about when you are training them,” he said.
Trust In You will be ridden by former New Zealand-based jockey Mark Du Plessis, and is currently a $101 outsider for the Melbourne Cup with TAB bookmakers alongside fellow Kiwi hope Positivity, while Waikato stayer Sharp ‘N’ Smart is at $61.
While the A$8.6 million Melbourne Cup will be Cooksley’s main priority on Tuesday, back home in New Zealand he will have five representatives at Ellerslie.
Moving Melody has placed in her two starts this preparation after winning on debut back in June, and has been installed a $4 favourite for the Stella Artois 1100.
Cooksley has been pleased with how she has progressed and is expecting a bold showing on Tuesday from barrier one.
“Moving Melody should go well,” he said. “She had a bad draw last time and was ridden a bit too handy.”
Stablemates He’s Classic and Staphanos Queen will be vying to go one better than their last start runner-up performances when they contest the Champion 2YO Sword Of State (1400m) and SkyCity Horizon 1200 respectively, while Cooksley will also be represented by Son Of Sun in the Barfoot & Thompson 2400 and Shooting Stride in the Auckland Co-op Taxis 1600.
“He’s Classic had a little setback, so he might need the run, but he has been working well,” Cooksley said. “A mile-and-a-half should suit Son of Sun, we’ll find out tomorrow.”