Walter rewards apprentice with city winner

By Warwick Barr

SYDNEY, May 29 AAP - Guy Walter had more reason than usual to celebrate a winning double at Warwick Farm after his stable apprentice posted her maiden city victory on Wednesday.

Kayla Cross was rewarded for her determination to return to the saddle after injury when Party Dress won the More Than Ready Handicap (1100m).

"Kayla has ridden for me for about 10 months and she has ridden 27 winners but this is her first ever city winner so it is a big thrill," Walter said.

Cross, 22, has taken the long route to be on the verge of becoming a city-based apprentice for the first time.

She started riding at Port Macquarie, made her way to Gympie and then Rockhampton before asking Walter for a chance out of the leading trainer's satellite stable at Goulburn.

"I was up in Rockhampton for about a year when I had a bad trackwork fall," she said.

"I had a bit of time off because I hurt my shoulder. I started riding trackwork for Guy to help improve the strength in my shoulder and he offered me an apprenticeship.

"I'm at Goulburn at the moment but any minute now I will be coming to Warwick Farm."

The first leg of Walter's double came via Canny Ballad, a Kathy O'Hara mount.

He was one of two trainers to prepare a double with John O'Shea chiming in late to win the final races with Lucky Lago and Nothing Like Luca.

Lucky Lago responded to blinkers to score an easy win in the TAB Iphone App Handicap (1600m) while Nothing Like Luca remained unbeaten for the Randwick trainer in taking out the Warwick Farm Handicap (1300m).

Trainer Peter Snowden has stakes plans for La Pieta, a three-year-old filly with the promise to match her bloodlines.

La Pieta is by champion sire Redoute's Choice and her dam is the four-time Group One winner Divine Madonna.

She made it two wins from six starts in the Tab.com.au Handicap (1400m) and Snowden said a patient approach was starting to return the proper dividends.

"She has just been a slow maturing filly," Snowden said.

"She was always light and immature and her mother was much the same apparently.

"We will just take little steps, I believe she has got the ability to get to stakes level for sure."