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Alysha Collett‘s timing was faultless at Hastings on Saturday when she provided herself with the perfect birthday present.
The apprentice pulled the right rein when she accepted the ride on Classcoroc in the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Hawke’ Bay Gold Cup.
Collett, who turns 21 on Sunday, took up trainer Graeme Hughes’ offer and they combined to win the feature at odds of 36-1.“Graeme told me a week ago that he was running her at Hastings and I had the option of going to Riccarton, but I thought she would be a nice ride, especially after her last run,” Collett said.
Classcoroc had finished a handy seventh in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup at her previous appearance.“I had ridden her before and she can be a bit one-paced in the straight so I got going early,” Collett said.
Classcoroc was in front 800 metres from home and after going clear on the turn she had enough in reserve to down Rose Of Virginia by half a length with Mako third ahead of Blathwayt.“It’s great to have won and helps my profile a lot after having a year off with injury and then I went to Brisbane,” Collett said
The other star of the Hastings show was Rosie Myers, who bagged five winners. She was successful in races two through to five with Guarantor, Lady Zafira, Mae West and The Knight’s Queen and capped off a tremendous day with victory aboard Joanna in the closing event.