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Leading jockey Michael Rodd could not fault smart sprinter Zac Kasa’s condition after he won his barrier trial in sparkling fashion on Tuesday morning.
And that was even with the knowledge he would not be riding the Reset four-year-old grey in the $175,000 Group 3 Rocket Man Sprint (1200m) on May 5.
Such is the selfless side of the Australian rider who does the bulk of his riding for Zac Kasa’s trainer, Cliff Brown. He continues to work tirelessly even if he may not be in the photo should they succeed. He is a team player.
The Rocket Man Sprint being a handicap feature, Zac Kasa, who is rated 97, is expected to figure among the lowly-weighted horses if Stephen Gray’s Singapore champion sprinter Lim’s Cruiser (113 points) faces the starter.
Rodd was in a similar situation last November when he watched the Group 2 EW Barker Trophy (1400m), another handicap feature, from the stands as the two Brown gallopers Mister Yeoh and Zac Kasa ran 1-2.
With postage-stamp loads of 50kgs and 51.5kgs respectively, Australian lightweight jockey Ben Thompson flew in for the special mission (before returning for a longer stint this year) on Mister Yeoh while Glen Boss rode Zac Kasa.
It is Thompson who will take the reins on Zac Kasa in the Rocket Man Sprint this time around.
“Zac Kasa is going really well. He has improved off his last run (third to Aramco in a Class 1 race over 1200m on April 7),” said Rodd.
“They ran close to the track record on that day. He’s a horse who’s better off when he is the dictator, he’s flying and he’s in a great shape.
“I’m not going to ride him, though, as I can’t make the weight he’ll get in the Rocket Man, but he’s in the best condition he’s ever been.
“This is a very important race for the stable and what matters is to have the horse as fit as we can get for the team, even if it’s Ben who will ride him.
“That’s the way it is. It’ll be great to see him win, but I’m not going to lie, it’d be even greater if I was the one on top!”
Brown said he had done his job the best he could and the rest will all depend how things pan out when the gates crash back.
“He’s in good order. He pulled up great after his last run, but he needed that trial today,” said the Australian handler.
“It’ll be a hard race, but I expect him to do well. It’ll be interesting to see how he goes.
“At the weights, he should be in with a lightweight chance if Lim’s Cruiser runs. I think he would then have a great chance.”