He has won a Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate and a Victoria Derby, but Michael Rodd concedes he might be down to his last roll of the spring carnival dice just as the Flemington carnival starts .
"I'm very quiet at the moment," said Rodd, who will try to repel the Sydney invasion with Rich Enuff in Saturday's Coolmore Stud Stakes. "I've got Bonaria in the Myer [Classic] and a couple of other rides on the undercard, but it's very quiet."
Rodd, whose carnival may get busier as he is in line to ride Precedence in the Melbourne Cup, will have plenty to do in the Coolmore, which has Ken Keys' fairytale colt seeking to defy a Sydney monopoly on a race threatening to steal the Victoria Derby's thunder on Saturday.
Sportsbet has Chris Waller's Brazen Beau, Gerald Ryan's Rubick and Rich Enuff all sharing $4.50 favouritism for the Coolmore, with Joe Pride's Kuro on the second line at $5. Earthquake ($7) and Scissor Kick ($11) round out the NSW domination of early markets.
Zoustar, Nechita and Sepoy have all travelled down from Sydney to win the the Coolmore in the past three years.
But where most of Rich Enuff's rivals lack experience down the daunting Flemington straight course, Rodd can at least call on the Danehill Stakes for a guide with Rich Enuff.
"It just gives me confidence knowing that he handles it but, in saying that, he still actually did a fair bit wrong going down the straight the other day in the Danehill," Rodd said. "He pulled pretty hard so I can't have him too exposed because I don't want him ripping and tearing.
"It's going to be a lot harder race, but he couldn't have been more impressive in the Danehill winning in 1.08. That's pretty much a winning time in the Coolmore. We just have to have him switched off and save him for that last bit."
There would have been plenty of temptation for Keys to spell Rich Enuff following his lion-hearted effort behind Shooting To Win in the Caulfield Guineas, but the Cranbourne trainer has forged on.
And Rodd saw enough in an early morning gallop last week to suggest it was the right decision.
"Being a colt you've got to be a little bit wary, but he's been perfect," Rodd said. "He was very stiff not to win the Guineas and it's probably one of the best runs you will see in the Guineas from a losing horse overracing all the way.
"They're not easy to get these group 1s and it would be lovely to get one for Ken. But if there is a chink in his armour one of those other horses are going to find it out because there's plenty of class in the race."
