Grant Cooksley came close to getting his hands on the Melbourne Cup as a jockey and he hopes to rectify that on Tuesday as a trainer when he fields Trust In You in the two-mile race.

The South Auckland-based rider has competed in several editions of the hallowed race, including a second place behind Kingston Rule in 1990 aboard the Murray Baker-trained Phantom.

This week Cooksley, who trains in partnership with Bruce Wallace, will have the chance to go one better in the race thanks to his Group 3 winner.

The six-year-old son of Sweynesse, who won the G3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day, heads into the Melbourne Cup in good form after finishing fourth in the G1 Metropolitan (2400m ) and the G3 St Leger. Stakes (2600m) at Randwick in his last two outings and Cooksley will be hoping to continue his strong form on Tuesday.

“He’s doing well,” said an understated Cooksley. “The owners want him there and he’s done well to get there. It’s a good race with a good crowd. I hope he can have a good race, which he should.”

Trust In You will be Cooksley’s first Melbourne Cup runner as a trainer and he said there was a little more pressure than being a jockey in the big race.

“You have more to worry about when you’re training them,” he said.

Trust In You will be ridden by former New Zealand jockey Mark Du Plessis and is currently a $101 outsider for the Melbourne Cup, while fellow Kiwis Positivity ($126) and Sharp ‘N’ Smart ($61) are also outsiders.