Kiwi Longshot Hope for Cup

Media Release - Monday November 4

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.

Trust in You will run in the Melbourne Cup - Race Images

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.

Advertisement

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.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
2026 Golden Slipper Entries – Sortable, Sale Mail – Find Out More
The new season is nearly upon us and that means all over the country a new crop of rising two year-olds are taking baby steps in the best stables in the land with the Australian Turf Club announcing this week they had received 1927 entries for the 2026 Golden Slipper, so who is in the race?
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 3
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Super Seth has had three G1 winners in Australia this season and John O’Shea and Tom Charlton have trained two of them, so when they produce a lightly raced maiden winner by this exciting young sire we want to know more.
One to Watch – Ballarat
Synthetic track meetings at Ballarat can throw up some misleading form, but a debut winner from the Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable that started in the red and won by nine lengths is probably worth a closer look.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Peltzer added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
Kiwi Stayer Ready for Aussie Debut
Talented Kiwi stayer Trust In You has crossed the Tasman on a Cups pursuit and is set to make his Australian debut in Saturday’s Gr.3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.
New SW Sweynesse - Trust in Me wins G3 QEII Cup
Ex-pat Kiwi jockey Jason Collett well and truly paid for a flying visit home from his Sydney base when he guided promising stayer Trust In You to a gritty victory in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) on New Year’s Day.