She was one of the feelgood stories of last spring, and Warrnambool-based trainer Symon Wilde hopes to have Tralee Rose (NZ) (Tavistock) return to the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) this year.

The five-year-old mare hasn’t been seen since the 2021 Cup, when she finished ninth after being galloped on during the run but has come through the injury in great shape.

“She’s come back really well we couldn’t be happier with her,” Wilde said.

“She’s fully recovered from all of her niggles including getting galloped on in the Melbourne Cup, everything’s going smoothly.

“We were fortunate that there was no long-term damage, it was relatively superficial. It was just wonderful last year even just having a runner, I never thought I’d have a runner.

“We gave her an extended break just to make sure everything was fine with her, we toyed with the idea of a bit of a cameo autumn appearance, but we decided to go with the longer break and I’m glad we did.”

Tralee Rose will again be aimed at ‘the race that stops a nation’, but an optimistic Wilde says the Cup is not the be all and end all for his talented stayer.

“It’s going to be a lot harder to get in this year, we realise that, that’s the pie-in-the-sky aim,” he said.

“We’re going to aim at the Melbourne Cup, that’ll be the plan, but we’ve got plenty of alternatives if she doesn’t make it.

“There are some great races I think she’s going to be a legitimate chance in like the Geelong Cup, Zipping Classic, Bendigo – all those sorts of races are right in her wheelhouse.”

Tralee Rose will follow a similar path to this year’s Cup as she did last year and has even returned to the stables earlier than normal this preparation.

“We’re in a bit earlier than we were last year and everything’s going good,” Wilde said.

“It’ll be a similar campaign to last year, she might just be a run in front, maybe she’ll go second-up into the Heatherlie (1700m).

“This year and next year, I’ve always maintained they’ll be her best years.”