Promising three-year-old filly Chatelle Rose will get a deserved first tilt at black-type when she heads to Te Rapa on Saturday to contest the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m).

The daughter of U S Navy Flag has been a model of consistency for trainers Fred and Lindsay Cornege, winning two and placing in three of her eight starts to date, including a brave last start victory over 1200m at Te Rapa last week.

The meeting’s postponement from the previous Sunday as a result of Cyclone Vaianu has shortened her back-up into the Cambridge Breeders’ to eight days, which Fred Cornege said isn’t ideal.

“It is not an ideal situation with the previous race being postponed,” he said. “I would have preferred a fortnight between races, but the race is there, she is happy and we are in, so that is where we are going.

“It was a meritorious run (last week) because she had to do a bit of work from the outside and work her way to the front. She was entitled to get beaten.”

Chatelle Rose will jump from barrier four with apprentice jockey Tayla Mitchell taking over riding duties from Joe Doyle, who will ride the Darryn and Briar Weatherley-trained Bulgari.

“The draw is ideal for her, she is a go forward horse,” Cornege said. “Unfortunately, Joe is not able to ride her, but I have got a good rider on.”

Cornege will wait to see how Chatelle Rose comes through the run before making any further plans, but he said he would like to give her a look around Ellerslie before sending her to the spelling paddock.

“She handles the wet but I don’t think she will handle Tauranga, Rotorua, Matamata wet,” he said. “I would like her to have a look at Ellerslie this prep to give her another experience.”

Chatelle Rose is taking her connections, which include breeder Elizabeth Pollard, Tina Thorowgood  and the Corneges, on a great ride, and they are hoping she can take them to the same heights as her half-sister Rose ‘N’ Power who won the 2021 edition of the Listed Levin Stakes (1200m).

“She is a half to Rose ‘N’ Power, another good mare we had,” Fred Cornege said. “We have got a good relationship with the breeder, Liz Pollard, from Te Awamutu, so it was only natural to race this one in partnership as well.

“We have got another lovely lady involved and between the four of us we are over 200 years old. It is a lovely interest for a group of people our age.”

-Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk