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• July 30, 2024
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Cole hoping to end season on a bright note 

Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk 

Steven Cole is hoping he can end the season on a bright note when he heads to Tauranga on Wednesday. 

The Byerley Park trainer will take three runners to the last meeting of the season, including last start winner Mighty Bright, who will contest the Gartshore Construction (1400m). 

The four-year-old son of Power is rated a $2.35 chance by TAB bookmakers to make it back-to-back wins, and Cole shares their confidence. 

“He seems to have come through it well and it looks the same quality field, so I am hoping for another nice run,” he said. 

Cole will also be represented in the Contributer Standing At Mapperley Stud 1400 by Monkhana, who will head into Wednesday in a fresh state after winning at Pukekohe last month. 

“Monkhana is a nice chance,” Cole said. “She had a little freshen-up after that last run where she was trapped wide. Off her first two runs she would have to be a nice top three chance. She is training well and seems to get through the wet ground well.” 

Cole will also line-up Wye Valley in the Back To Black Maiden 2100. 

“Stepping up to 2100m for the first time and onto a wet track, which Bailey (Rogerson, apprentice jockey) suggested, hopefully we can see an improved run there,” Cole said. 

Looking ahead to the weekend, Cole will head north to Ruakaka on Saturday with three runners, including stakes performer Chicago Jack, who will contest the 3YO SW+P 1100m. 

The son of All Too Hard had five starts as a juvenile, including a last start placing in the Listed TAB Star Way Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie in April, and Cole has been pleased with the way he has returned from his spell. 

“He is coming up really well and trialled at Avondale the other day under Hamish (McNeil), who was carrying plenty of pudding, and just went around for a run around and has taken plenty of improvement out of it,” Cole said. 

“I would expect on that quality of field and what he was racing as an early two-year-old, he will be pretty hard to beat.” 

Cole will also be represented by Matetsi in the Rating 65 2100 and Let It Begin in the Maiden 1200m. 

“Matetsi little bit disappointing last time (when seventh behind Might Bright), but it was a very heavy track at Pukekohe so Kelly (Myers, jockey) suggested to put him in at Ruakaka where you are going to get a better surface,” Cole said. “Stepping up in distance will help him too, so I am expecting an improved run there. 

“Let It Begin is going well. She ran some good sectionals last time stepping up to 1400m. She has had a bit of a freshen-up stepping back to 1200m and she should run well.”