The well-named Mountain Mischief has had to overcome a series of nasty setbacks to resume her racing career and the four-year-old now looks in line for a deserved success on her home track today.
The Whanganui mare came off a 16-month break to finish runner-up at Woodville last time outand she can go one better in the Cheltenham with T Lee and ARA Maiden.
"It's been a chapter of accidents with her, none of them at our place though," trainer Wayne Marshment said. "She got out of her paddock one day and ran about halfway from Ohakune to Raetihi and then back again.
"Another time she was in the yard to have her feet done and she got loose and ripped her chest right open and she's had a virus as well.
"She's good now, thankfully, and I'm really happy with her and with the other two." The stable will also be represented by Hamiltonian (Wickham Clan 1600) and Stealth Giant (Ken Duncan 1350). The former has won twice from 21 appearances and the lightly-tried seven-year-old was a sound last-start fifth when returning from an eight-month break.
Stealth Giant missed the kick when unplaced on debut and he didn't have much luck next time out when he rallied late for sixth.
"He got stuck behind one that was going nowhere and it took him a while to get going again in the ground," Marshment said. "He'll have the blinkers on to sharpen him up."
Meanwhile Alysha Collett sees a bright future for the Te Teko juvenile winner Style By Design.
"She's going to be a lovely three-year-old over a bit more ground " definitely very promising," the Pukekohe-based jockey said.
Style By Design settled back in the field before unwinding strongly in the run home to break her maiden at her fourth start.
By Iffraaj out of the dual stakes winner Chaparella, Style By Design completed a double for Collett and trainer Ralph Manning who claimed the opening event yesterday with Cotes De Bourg.
