Grant Cooksley won the Gr.1 Westbury Stud Tarzino Trophy (1400m) as a jockey seven years ago aboard the Shelley Hale-trained Close Up, and on Saturday he will vie to capture the Hastings feature as a trainer.
His win aboard Close Up was the last of Cooksley’s 66 Group One victories in the saddle, and he said he got a massive thrill out of scoring his first win in the race for Hale.
“He won it quite well, it was good to get the win for Shelley,” Cooksley said. “I hadn’t ridden much at Hastings at that meeting, that is the only one (Tarzino Trophy) I have won there.”
Hale, who also co-bred and co-owns the now 15-year-old gelding, holds fond memories of the race.
“It was a great thrill, and to do it with Cooky as well was fantastic,” she said. “He had been a stalwart of the team and as it turned out it was his last Group One. It felt a bit like a family affair – an older horse and an older jockey, it was great fun.”
The Shinko King gelding had finished runner-up in the Gr.2 Foxbrdge Plate (1200m) at his previous start but wasn’t assured a start in the Tarzino Trophy until the morning of the race.
“He went great in the Foxbridge Plate and that swayed us to go,” Hale said. “He hadn’t tackled weight-for-age until the Foxbridge, so that gave us the confidence that we were thereabouts to have a go.
“He was really fit because he had had a few runs through winter. We were first on the ballot, so we didn’t find out until race morning that we were definitely a starter. That added a little bit more excitement to the day.
“We had heard a little rumour (of a scratching) but that wasn’t confirmed to me until the (racing) bureau rang me at 6am on Saturday morning. We were in the truck and away we went and got the result.”
Close Up and Cooksley went on to finish runner-up in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) in their following start, giving Hale vindication that his Group One victory was no fluke.
“That (Windsor Park Plate performance) made me really proud because a lot of people probably thought on Tarzino Day that he was a Winter horse that got there on fitness, but he showed them he had the class to do it when backing up that form in the next race.
“He was a little unlucky in the Windsor Park too, Grant said if he had been out a little wider on the track where the winner was then he would have been right in the fight.”
Hale said getting the win with a horse she has bred added a lot of sentimentality to the occasion.
“When you own and breed them it is even more special,” she said. “You have had them from day dot, so they are like part of the family.”
Close Up retired a year later after his run in the 2018 edition of the Windsor Park Plate, and he is now enjoying retirement at Hale’s property, where he is currently keeping a close eye on Group Three winner Denby Road during his rehabilitation.
“Denby Road is having some box rehabilitation for a few weeks, so Close Up has been hauled in to be Denby Road’s box mate. He is a great natured horse and he is really good with young horses.
“He is living a great life and he is a happy boy.”
Hale has had a frustrating run with Denby Road, who injured a tendon following a trial 12 months ago, and he has continued to be plagued by soundness issues.
“He injured his tendon 12 months ago and we got him right for that and then he was back in work and was coming up nicely, but he got some mild lameness,” she said.
“We have done all the x-rays and scans and there was nothing to be found, so just to be conservative he is having some box rest before some more time in the paddock, and then we will reevaluate and see how we go.
“He is a really big horse and sometimes they do have a few extra niggles than the smaller ones do.”
While her patience is being well and truly tested with her current stable star, Hale is looking forward to the weekend where she is hoping Cooksley can emulate their success in the Tarzino Trophy.
“I would like to wish Cooky all the best for the Tarzino on the weekend and I am hoping he can get one as a trainer,” she said.
The Byerley Park horseman, who trains alongside Bruce Wallace, will be represented in the Group One feature by Sacred Satono, who is rated a $11 fourth favourite for Saturday.
The son of Satono Aladdin finished midfield in last month’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), but Cooksley said the Heavy10 track conditions weren’t to his liking.
“The track pulled him up a little bit there,” Cooksley said. “He has improved and he has got a good draw (3), so at least he will get a nice run.”
Meanwhile, stablemate Trust In You is gearing up for a trip across the Tasman, with the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) and Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) nominated gelding set to fly to Melbourne next week.
The six-year-old was second-up at Matamata on Wednesday where he finished third behind Casino Princess in the Robert Bruce Clothier Memorial (1600m), securing his plane ticket in the process.
“I thought it was a good run, especially on a wet track,” Cooksley said. “A mile is a bit short for him, he wants 2000m to a mile-and-a-half.
“He is going to Melbourne next Wednesday. He will start in the Foundation Cup (Gr.3, 2000m) on the 21st (of September).
“He is nominated for the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup, so we will just see what happens. The owners are really keen to head that way.”
