BENDIGO trainer Brad Cole is hoping lightning can strike twice for him on Bendigo Cup day.
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Cole was one of three local trainers to emerge with a winner at last year's meeting with promising mare Stella The Boss.
He hopes to duplicate that feat with the same horse on Wednesday.
The five-year-old will line up in the benchmark 70 filles and mares handicap over 1100 metres.
She is coming off a last start eighth at Cranbourne, her sole run this preparation.
Stella The Boss has shown a distinct liking for her home track, with a win and a second among her three starts.
Cole felt the mare was arguably the pick of his three chances for the day.
"She won on cup day last year at her second start and has won a couple of races since, including one in town," he said.
"Obviously winning at your local track on cup day is always exciting.
"Hopefully we can do it again."
The mare provided Cole, who divides time between training and working at Symons Dairy, with his first metropolitan winner in more than decade when she won at Caulfield on Easter Monday this year.
The affable trainer said it didn't matter whether it was Caulfield, Bendigo on cup day, or Wycheproof, it was always a thrill to get a win.
Cole believed Stella The Boss' younger sister Silver Pathfinder was capable of running a good race at long odds in the benchmark 64 handicap for three-year-olds.
The grey filly was showing odds of 125-1 late on Monday, but won a trial at Wangaratta as recently as September.
"She'll be at huge odds, but she's not a bad sort of filly and goes quite well," Cole said.
A busy cup day for Cole will start in race two with 17-1 chance Red Sister Rosie in the 1400m maiden plate.
The four-year-old mare has just two previous starts at Bendigo and Echuca.
"She ran a nice fifth at Echuca the other day (October 16) and I'm expecting her to run a nice race as well," Cole said.
"I think the three of them are all some sort of each-way chance."
All three Cole runners will be ridden by Cory Parish.
Cole believed the Bendigo Jockey Club track would be in magnificent shape come Wednesday.
"I think they had a slow five early on, but it will be perfect by Wednesday," he said.
"Everyone likes racing on a good surface; it should be lovely.
"With the rain and sunshine we've had, it should give most horses a chance to win."
Cole said it was pleasing to see a local horse in the feature race and wished trainer Adam O'Neil and his gelding Desert Samurai all the best.