Rodd returned to Victoria from Singapore when the coronavirus shut down racing there and he gave the Lindsey Smith-trained Mystery Shot a gem of a ride in the Take It To The Neds Level H.to keep his unbeaten record intact.
He had the gelding, who is part-owned by agent Brad Spicer, coasting along one off the rail behind the leading pair and peeled out three wide before the turn.
Mystery Shot strode to the front 200 metres from home to have the race parcelled up from that point. Splendoronthegrass (So You Think {NZ}) came from last to finish runner-up and Scorpius (Deep Field) boxed on for third after disputing the pace.
“It was great to finally get one, I’ve been waiting for a couple of months now and it’s just taken a bit of time to get on a better quality of horse,” Rodd said “Lindsey and Brad have been really good to me and great supporters.
“Lindsey’s horses have been going really well and well-placed. When they come to the races they’re ready to go.”
“Lindsey’s horses have been going really well and well-placed. When they come to the races they’re ready to go.” – Michael Rodd
Mystery Shot won his maiden at Warrnambool before Christmas and successfully resumed in Rodd’s hands at Ballarat earlier this month.
“It was a really good win first-up. He hadn’t had a good trial leading into that and he’d had a bit of a jump-out around the tight turning track at Warrnambool on the polytrack. To win first-up over 1200 metres was a good effort.
“To come here and go up to 1400 metres to back that up was great. I was confident, but you’re just never quite sure when they’re second-up, but he’s done a very good job.”
Mystery Shot as a yearling
Mystery Shot was bred by Gus Wigley’s Inglewood Stud and sold by them at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka where he sold for NZ$260,000 with the ticket signed by Tartan Meadow Bloodstock.
He is a son of the multiple winner and stakes-performed mare Mystique (NZ) (Montjeu {Ire}), who is in foal to Merchant Navy, and is a half-brother to the Listed Southland Guineas winner Replique (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
Mystique is a half-sister to the G2 New Zealand Cup winner Torlesse (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) with their dam the G1 New Zealand S. and G2 New Zealand-Japan International Trophy winner Seamist (NZ) (Beaufort Sea {USA}).
Specialist speedster
Later in the day, Lucifer’s Reward (Reward For Effort) again showed his affinity for the short course distance when he stormed to victory in the Neds Same Race Multi H.
The 3-year-old, who was on the quick back-up after failing to place in the Listed AR Creswick S., settled off a fast pace and rider Michael Poy brought him down the outside of the track with an undeniable finish to beat Proper Rogue (Snitzel).
Lucifer’s Reward has now posted all four of his career wins for home track trainer Brendan McCarthy over 1000 metres. He also went close to a slice of black type to his record when fourth in the Listed Poseidon S. last spring.
He is a son of Petite Briefs (Brief Truce {USA}), who was also a speedster with three sprint victories and the feature name in a light first three generations is the G2 Angas Brut Classic winner Dapper’s Hope (Sir Dapper), who also finished runner-up in an edition of the G1 Goodwood H.
