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Michael Rodd was in smashing form on Friday after he turned his three rides of the night into winners in quick succession.
The Australian jockey got the ball rolling with the Stephen Gray-trained Libeccio ($16) in Race 3, the $20,000 Maiden race over 1200m, went back-to-back with odds-on $8 favourite Tesoro Privado (see other report) in the very next race for trainer Lee Freedman, the $80,000 Class 3 race over 1400m before completing a perfect night with another hotpot ($9), the Cliff Brown-trained Lonhro Gold in Race 5, the $85,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1000m.
The only note of ‘what could have been’ was the withdrawal of Nowyousee from his original book of four rides. A similar stable transfer from Ricardo Le Grange to Lee Freedman like Tesoro Privado, the Titanium Racing Stable-owned O’Reilly three-year-old has been in sparkling form in work and could have followed suit on his stablemate in his event, the $80,000 Kranji Stakes C race over 1100m, but he was scratched after being found lame.
Still, Rodd could not complain about his prolific haul which has narrowed down the gap on leader Vlad Duric to only four winners (43 versus 39).
“I thought I would have a good night tonight. I had some very nice rides on paper,” said Rodd.
“But you need a lot of luck in racing, anything can happen, especially on Polytrack, but everything just panned out well.
“Libeccio is such an honest horse and is always thereabouts, but they all have a race for them one day. He had a good cart-up on the speed.
“He may now win a Class 4 Premier race or a Class 5, who knows, but he will win again.
“It was also great to get a win from Lonhro Gold. He’s done well by winning good prizemoney (over $100,000) in Restricted Maiden company.
“Cliff found the right race for him tonight. He’s a highballing type of horse and you just have to let him rip.”
Indeed, Rodd never restrained the three-year-old son of Denman by allowing him to stride to the front from the get-go.
As Lonhro Gold approached the home turn, after having galloped freely to an uncontested lead two lengths clear of My Kind Of Man (Glen Boss), it was evident his 10 rivals would have their job cut out.
In the run to the line, Lonhro Gold went for broke, but those who backed him down to his prohibitive odds, must have had their hearts in their mouths when debutant Street Blade (Nooresh Juglall) was the only challenger who could still stick a spoke in the wheel as he came home with a wet sail.
But to their huge relief, the winning post arrived on time for Lonhro Gold, who held Street Blade at bay by a neck with Per Inpower (Barend Vorster) third another length away. The winning time was 59.98 seconds for the 1000m on the Polytrack.
Assistant-trainer Tim Fitzsimmons gave credit to champion jockey Vlad Duric, who was aboard Lonhro Gold at his last-start second to Natural Impulse, for being the one who recommended a pair of shades.
“It’s been long time coming for this horse. At his last start over 1000m, Vlad said he needed blinkers,” said Brown’s right-hand man.
“He did very well to go all the way tonight. The Gold Stable is having a good run and long it may continue.
“Hopefully that first win will give him the confidence to carry on. I will probably look at a Class 4 race over 1000m next for him.”
