Racing: Mount for Cropp sorted out

Lisa Cropp, who rode three winners at Te Rapa yesterday, will ride Two Thousand Guineas winner Clean Sweep in the Telegraph Handicap at Trentham on Saturday.

Clean Sweep, who just managed to escape the ballot on Saturday, had been a controversial omission from the Railway.

The connections of three-year-olds Shastri and Clean Sweep both believe they have engaged Cropp, with the jockey herself stating that she will ride Clean Sweep.

"I was booked to ride Clean Sweep at Woodville and Trentham earlier in the month," Cropp said.

As it happened, Clean Sweep's race at Woodville was cancelled and she raced at Thames instead.

But Cropp is adamant that she is still engaged for the Telegraph and will honour that booking. She rang Shastri's trainer John Sargent to say she could not ride his horse.

Cropp has also been booked to ride Myladys in the $300,000 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) on Saturday and South Islander Heureka in the $250,000 Wellington Cup (3200m) on Saturday week.

Chasing a premiership win, Cropp has been travelling all over the country in a bid to fulfil her goal. She has kicked home 69 winners to be lying one behind Leith Innes.

"I'm just loving it and particularly enjoy going to the South Island," she said.

"There is nothing better than riding winners."

- NZPA