Horse racing: Grant Cooksley’s black beauty looks ready for season’s first feature

Sacred Satono is the early favourite for next week's Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate. Photo / Kenton Wright

Byerley Park trainers Grant Cooksley and Bruce Wallace had a strong representation in Saturday’s star-studded 1000m trial at Te Rapa, and they are hoping a big spring is in store for their quartet of triallers.

Sacred Satono was the first stable runner home, running third behind trial winner Alabama Lass, and his connections are hoping he can strike early in Group assignments in the coming weeks.

“He went along all right and did what he had to do,” Cooksley said. “It will bring him on a bit.

“We might run him in the Foxbridge [Group 2, 1200m, at Te Rapa on Saturday week] and then the Proisir Plate [Group 1, 1400m]. He ran third in it [Proisir Plate] last year [when run as the Tarzino Trophy] and he goes well at Ellerslie, so he should be there somewhere.”

Stablemate Meaningful Star is heading in the same direction and Cooksley said he was happy enough with the 9-year-old’s trial, despite finishing last.

The former Hong Kong galloper struck early in his New Zealand career, winning over a mile at Ellerslie second-up in October before returning to the Auckland venue a month later, repeating the result in the Group 3 Great Northern Challenge Stakes (1600m).

Cooksley has been pleased with the way the son of Pivotal has returned, but said they are mindful of his age and will play his spring campaign by ear.

“Meaningful Star worked around [on Saturday],” Cooksley said. “He might go the Foxbridge Plate, we will just see how he goes. We will just take it as it comes with him, he is getting a bit old.”

Stayers Son of Sun and Trust in You finished sixth and seventh respectively in Saturday’s trial, and Cooksley is happy with their progression heading into spring.

Son of Sun began the year with a bang when winning the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, and his trainers are hopeful of their gelding returning to that form later this spring, when he likely contests the Group 1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) and Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m).

“Son of Sun trialled well and he is a bit stronger this year,” Cooksley said. “He is in the last two [legs of the triple crown] but we will just see how he is coming up.”

Trust In You had a busy spring last term, with four starts in Australia, including a 17th-placed run in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m). A return across the Tasman is in the offing, but is unlikely to include a tilt at the coveted two-mile feature.

“He trialled well too,” Cooksley said. “We will see how he comes up, but we are thinking more about Sydney.”

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk