Oakbank trainer Claudette Rose dreaming of Onkaparinga Cup upset with feisty Hateech

Hateech’s gutsy win on Adelaide Cup day was a memorable moment for Oakbank trainer Claudette Rose, but a win in her hometown Onkaparinga Cup would be a “dream come true”.

Hateech’s gutsy win on Adelaide Cup day was a memorable moment for Oakbank trainer Claudette Rose, but a win in the $107,250 Onkaparinga Cup would be no less than a “dream come true”.

The determined mare has won nine races for Rose across a 71-start career, amassing over $250,000 in prizemoney, and is an outside hope in Easter Saturday’s Onkaparinga Cup (2510m) at Oakbank.

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Purchased for $5500 in 2021 after beginning her career under Richard and Chantelle Jolly, Hateech had three wins to her name, and while her ability was evident, so too was her fiery attitude.

“When I first got her, she came with a reputation, her reputation hasn’t really improved,” Rose said.

“She’s not ladylike, she’s not feminine, if you get in her way she will run you over.

“She’s not got a mean bone in her body, but she’s quite highly wired, she just wants to be moving all the time.

“I think that’s why we put up with her, she gives us a lot of grief but she’s also given me some enormous thrills.”

The biggest thrill of all was Hateech’s win on Adelaide Cup day, a gutsy effort over 2000m on a two-day back-up.

Hateech takes the lead around the bend & clings on for her third win of the year for Claudette Rose 🔥@MilnesRochelle rides her sixth win aboard the 8YO mare 🙌 pic.twitter.com/lD43vNSBQQ

— Racing.com (@Racing) March 10, 2025

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Rose is trodding a similar path into the Onkaparinga Cup, with Hateech running an honest third on Wednesday at Balaklava leading into Saturday.

The eight-year-old mare’s last two wins have both come on the two-day back-up.

“I was going to scratch her Adelaide Cup day, it was so hot, I wasn’t sure if I was doing the right thing and she comes out and wins,” she said.

“She loves a dogfight. She’s very tough and she loves the back-up, the whole plan of running her on Wednesday was either give her a hard gallop on the track on Thursday or put her in a race.”

Hateech has enjoyed a career renaissance of sorts in 2025, the mare had never raced over further than 1400m across her first 61 starts prior to a runner-up finish at Strathalbyn on January 15 at her first try over a mile.

“About four to five runs into this campaign I was considering whether or not it was time to call it a day with her,” Rose said.

“Her work was brilliant but she wasn’t bringing it on race day.

“I said to Rochelle (Milnes), ‘how about we just try and step her up over a mile and see what she does?’

“Her first time at the mile she got beaten in a photo finish, from there we just kept progressing her and she kept surprising me.”

Rochelle Milnes (left) and Claudette Rose (right) celebrate a Hateech win at Murray Bridge last year. Picture: Makoto Kaneko

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A distance rise to 2150m will be the toughest ask yet, but Rose takes comfort knowing that Milnes, who has piloted Hateech to six wins, is bound to give her every hope.

“(The) 2150m is really stretching the pedigree, she shouldn’t actually be running this distance, I thought if she is going to have any chance to do it she needs that run on Wednesday, more just to settle her down so she doesn’t overace,” she said.

“She’s drawn outside (14) and we’ll need to find some cover somewhere, but I do have SA’s leading jockey on board so if anyone will do it, Rochelle will.

“She doesn’t rein her up, she lets her do her thing and the horse relaxes, breathes and when you get her right she’s just as honest as ever – she’ll try her heart out.”

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To pull off an upset win in the Onkaparinga Cup would be a dream result for Rose on her home deck.

“We’ll have a throw at the stumps, if we can be somewhere in the finish, that’ll be great, if she could win, that would just be a dream come true for me,” she said.

“I’ve been coming to Oakbank since I started training, I’m determined one year I’m going to get one of the feature races.

“It might take me a few more years – but maybe it’s tomorrow.”

Oakbank hosts a nine-race card on Easter Saturday, headlined by the $140,000 Listed Railway Stakes, with a seven-race provincial meeting scheduled for Easter Monday.

Hateech is a $26 chance with Sportsbet fixed odds.

“I’m a huge supporter of the club, I really hope the weather is good tomorrow and we get a good turnout,” Rose said.