Grahame Begg has always placed She’s A Hustler shrewdly and for the past year, every run has been about Saturday’s Caulfield Cup.
Since winning the Zipping Classic, over the Caulfield 2400m, last November, Begg had one prize in mind.
“She was in the Caulfield Cup, and we just had to get her here the best way possible,” Begg said. “She might not have won a race since then, but she ran in the races we wanted to, and has run good races against good opposition.
“We have got into the Cup with a good weight and with the preparation we wanted. That doesn’t always happen.”
There have been six runs since the Zipping Classic, which closed off last spring where She’s A Hustler stepped up in grade, also winning the Tesio Stakes and being Matriarch Stakes runner-up on a heavy track where she is below he best.
She’s A Hustler had built an impressive resume up until the end of 2025, winning seven of 11 starts, starting favourite nine times, odds-on on five of those occassions.
“We knew what we had when she arrived from New Zealand, but we had to manage through the grades,” Begg said. “We gave her time to mature and learn. She was ready last spring and was very good.
“She had to take the next step from there. She has run well, but I have felt we would see the best of her when she got back out to this trip.
“She got Pride Of Jennied a bit doing the chasing up in Brisbane, but she was brave and it toughened her up a bit.
“A couple of times she has run into heavy tracks, which she doesn’t really handle, so back on top of the ground, I think we will see the best of her on weekend.”
Begg booked Michael Dee a few weeks ago, knowing her regular partner Jordan Childs could not make the 53kg and was delighted to draw gate six.
“You need things to fall into place with big races and it has for her,” Begg said. “We got a Caulfield Cup-winning jockey, who is very good in staying races, and then we got the good barrier, which should see her get the right run.
“This is her grand final and has been for a long time. She will get her chance and will be strong at the end of the 2400m.”
