Young trainer makes a flying start in racing
‘‘26-year-old Cody saddled up his first runner, Fortius, to finish third at Avondale in midNovember.’’
Cody Cole, one of the newest recruits to Matamata training ranks, has a made a flying start to his career with two wins from just three starters.
The son of Te Kauwhata couple Tony and Louise Cole and a fourth generation family member to taker out his trainer’s licence, 26-year-old Cody saddled up his first runner, Fortius, to finish third at Avondale in midNovember.
A week later at Te Aroha he came up trumps with High Distinction, a first starter that he races in partnership with his parents and his sister Celia.
Completing the equation, High Distinction was ridden in that auspicious win by his partner Samantha Collett.
Fortius has been his only starter since, breaking through for his first win at Tauranga last Friday.
Despite being born into a racing family, horses haven’t dominated Cody’s life.
The sport of weight-lifting took up most of his teenage and young adult years, when he won numer- ous titles and represented New Zealand at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
More recently, however, racing has been his focus, combining employment with Maungatautari trainers Stephen Ramsay and Julia Ritchie alongside establishing a breaking-in and pre-training business with Samantha.
Their base is the property midway between Matamata and Tirau owned by Samantha’s father Jim, who is now training out of the former Wexford Stables.
Cody has begun his training career with a permit licence which restricts him to six racehorses, but the way he has hit his straps paves the way for expansion.