Racing: Plate-bound Cropp on fruit diet

Lisa Cropp says she will get down to 46.5kg to ride Australian filly Miss Finland in Saturday's A$3 million ($3.4 million) Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

Trainer David Hayes has told the Cambridge jockey he will allow her to be half a kilo over the carded featherweight of 46kg.

"I'll do that okay, I'll just eat fruit all week," said Cropp at Te Rapa yesterday.

She is more concerned at not having previously ridden at Moonee Valley, a racetrack with a unique style.

"I'm going over on Wednesday and I'm riding a few horses trackwork at Moonee Valley on Thursday morning for Mike Moroney.

"I'd love to be able to get a couple of raceday rides before the Cox Plate to get a real feel for the track."

Walking the Moonee Valley track will be part of the learning curve and part of the diet. "I'll probably walk around it 40 times!"

Miss Finland brilliantly won last Wednesday's A$500,000 Caulfield Guineas and the stable of her trainer David Hayes is wining everything.

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Buddy Lammas was lucky to escape further injury when he crashed heavily after finishing second on Kissy Mullins in Race 2 at Te Rapa yesterday.

Just after crossing the finish, Cody Singer slipped out of the saddle on race winner Little Jess and Kissy Mullins tripped over him lying on the track, falling and crashing Lammas into the turf.

Lammas has just spent a long period of recuperation following shoulder surgery after a race crash.

He was taken to Waikato Hospital where x-rays revealed bruising around the neck and shoulder area, but no obvious further injury to his previously damaged shoulder.

Singer escaped unhurt.

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Justa Tad's little sister A Tad Black may have gained herself a place in the $275,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas with her maiden win at Te Rapa.

A decision will be made after co-trainer Megan Liefting today takes a video of the race to Melbourne to show husband and training partner Rudy, these days based in Australia.

"The next payment is not until November 1, so there is a bit of time," said Megan Liefting. "I would be more confident if she had won today on a firm track, but with the going being rain-affected I'm not so sure."

David Walsh rode A Tad Black into fourth at Avondale last start.

"I told them that she lugged going that right-handed way and suggested they give her a run left-handed. She was much better."