羅達 : 嬴覺士盾比嬴墨爾本盃更棒
Jockey Michael Rodd rates his Cox Plate win on Maldivian above his success on Efficient in last year's Melbourne Cup.
The last 12 months have been a roller-coaster ride for the 26-year-old and he admitted that he didn't expect to be back riding Group One winners again so soon.
Struck down with post-viral fatigue, he was sidelined for four months from mid-January.
His biggest worry was the slow diagnosis of his condition but once doctors had a name for his problem it was just a matter of waiting.
"I knew I would be right," Rodd said.
"It was just a matter of how long but I didn't think I would be back to this level so quickly."
Last spring Rodd formed a close and successful association with trainer Mark Kavanagh and hasn't looked back.
He won two Group One races on Divine Madonna but it was Maldivian who captured his imagination, and that of the public.
After winning the Group One Yalumba Stakes the gelding was a short-priced favourite for the Caulfield Cup only to be scratched under dramatic circumstances at the barrier.
Returning to the enclosure Rodd had blood on his silks from the horse's neck which had been slashed when he reared in the barrier.
While Kavanagh was left to lament what might have been, Rodd two weeks later picked up the winning Melbourne Cup ride on Efficient for owner Lloyd Williams.
Rodd had been the stable rider for Williams for more than a season and got the call to again partner the grey after winning the 2006 Victoria Derby on him.
Rodd is proud of his Melbourne Cup win but Saturday's win was extra special because of his close and constant association with Maldivian.
"The Cox Plate has always been the race I put up there, probably in front of the Melbourne Cup because the best of the best win the race," Rodd said.
"It is just amazing. I have had everything to do with this horse this preparation. I don't know what to say. It is just a dream.
"The run we had in front could not have been better as we were left alone around the back."
Maldivian kicked away around the home turn and held on to win by a length from the Williams-owned Zipping and Sydney filly Samantha Miss.
Rodd said he never doubted Maldivian although his lead-up performances looked disappointing this spring.
He said he felt guilty when he was unable to offer an excuse for Maldivian's inability to win at his previous five runs this campaign.
"I was feeling bad towards the end because I would come back and wouldn't have anything negative to say to the media," he said.
"I know the horse so well and I know that there wasn't anything wrong with him."
Rodd said Maldivian had worked as impressively as last spring but the masterstroke was Kavanagh's decision to put blinkers on the horse on Saturday.
"A lot of the credit goes to Mark," Rodd said.
"He has thrown everything but the kitchen sink at him (Maldivian)".
Rodd said he felt Saturday would be Maldivian's day with a perfect record of two wins from two starts over 2040 metres at Moonee Valley.
"From his barrier it looked like he was going to get the run on paper," Rodd said.
Rodd said Theseo annoyed Maldivian early and fired him up but he remained confident during the race.
While thrilled with his success, Rodd was even more delighted for Joe Ricciardo and his fellow owners of Maldivian.
"They have been just so patient after what happened at Caulfield a year ago," he said.
"To win this race really rewards them and everyone involved."
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