Rodd Excited To Be Back In Melbourne For Memsie Stakes Day

Singapore-based Michael Rodd will return to Australia for the 2015 Memsie Stakes Day meeting on Saturday and the leading hoop is excited to be able to partner the likes of Rising Romance and Vezalay at Caulfield on Saturday.

Michael Rodd will partner Rising Romance in the 2015 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Michael Rodd will partner Rising Romance in the 2015 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Rodd has not ridden in Australia since he finished fourth on Temple Of Boom in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) at Doomben on June 6 and he has been based in Singapore since the start of the year, but he is hopeful that he will be able to ride some winners at Caulfield on Saturday in order to stake his claim for rides during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival.

“I am really looking forward to coming back,” Rodd said.

“It is a great opportunity and I’m looking to put my name out there and show that I am keen to come back if the opportunities arise.

“They are pretty flexible here and as long as you don’t miss a meeting I’m free to come back and ride.

“I have some really nice rides there.

“Rising Romance is a very talented mare and she has been transferred to David Hayes, so it will be interesting to have a feel of her.

“Hopefully I can get a winner up.”

Rodd has been booked to ride Caulfield Cup runner-up Rising Romance in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m), but his best chance of recording a race win could be with Vezalay in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m).

Vezalay started her spring campaign with a very comfortable victory in the Beveridge Williams Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on August 15 and Rodd said that he is looking forward to reuniting with the talented mare for the first time since he steered her to victory on debut at Seymour in October last year.

“She is a filly I have had a fair bit to do with,” Rodd said.

“I did a fair bit of her early education and I won a maiden on her up at Seymour last year.

“I know a fair about her and she was very good first-up for Ollie.

“He just went to the front and controlled the race, but I really like the way that she quickened.

“She is really well bred and hopefully she can get over a bit more ground.”

Rodd is chasing his third win in the Memsie Stakes after previously taking out the Group 1 event with Sincero in 2012 and Atlantic Jewel in 2013.

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.