David Walsh has been in the right place at the right time again this week.
Walsh, who won the $80,000 Hawkes Bay Cup with a one-off mount on Bel Air last weekend, has picked up the ride on Country Rose in the $40,000 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham tomorrow.
Walsh, who has not ridden Country Rose before, gained the mount after the mare's regular rider Michael Walker plumped for So Lets.
Walsh won the Cuddle 20 years ago, on Mun Lee and won again in 1985 on Silver Elm but is now overdue for a third win.
Country Rose is the obvious threat to Cuddle favourite Cinder Bella and was the second favourite, at $6.50, on the fixed odds market last night.
The Centaine mare made ground well for third behind Cinder Bella in the Travis Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa last weekend.
"She couldn't get clear from her inside draw," trainer Kevin Gray said. "She's only a little filly and was jammed up on the fence. But did she come home when she got out."
Country Rose, the beaten favourite in the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie, has won three races this term including the group three Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni, but has also had her share of luckless runs.
She met trouble early when beaten a head in the group two Highview Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie at New Year and finished a creditable fifth in the group one Thorndon Mile at Trentham.
She was three lengths from Cinder Bella in the Travis but has a 2kg pull in the weights this week, after the pair met on level terms at Te Rapa.
Gray will have a good hand in the Cuddle, with Miss Jessie Jay a strong second string.
Miss Jessie Jay was an easy open handicap winner over 1600m at Awapuni on March 31 and had some excuse when failing subsequently.
Cinder Bella was a $3.25 favourite last night and trainer Karen Zimmerman was relieved to learn that some rain had fallen at Trentham.
"All she needs is the jar out," Zimmerman said. "But I might not have started her if there hadn't been some rain.
"But she's very well and certainly hasn't gone backwards with last week's run."
Zimmerman is unworried by the mare's outside barrier.
- NZPA
Racing: Walsh in right place to make it a third Cuddle
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