3 minute read

Sweet As Bro claims his richest win at Kilmore on the same day Makybe Diva's little brother broke his maiden.

Veteran trainer Leon Corstens has admitted if it had been left to him, Sweet As Bro would not have been given the chance to win the $260,000 Kilmore Cup.

Luckily for Corstens, he left the decision to the four-year-old's owners who opted to run in Sunday's rich race in preference to a $50,000 handicap at Moonee Valley on Friday.

"It's worth a lot of money and I've got to thank the owners. I would have opted for the easy way out and run on Friday night," Corstens said.

"They said if we draw inside barrier seven we go to Kilmore."

Sweet As Bro had won three restricted races before his visit to Kilmore and is entered for the $3 million Doncaster Mile at Randwick in April.

"He's a young horse progressing so I'll just let him tell me where we are going," Corstens said.

Michael Rodd rode Sweet As Bro whose victory denied Sistine Demon his sixth straight win when he fought back against the favourite ridden by Damien Oliver to prevail by a long neck.

Rodd made the trip to Kilmore for just the one ride.

"Ollie got softened up a bit and had to do a bit of work to get across and I was able to sneak up on him," Rodd said.

"I knew I was in for a fight because once he got to the front he just waited.

"He's still a bit green and can be a bit of a handful."

Earlier three-year-old blue blood Rodway got a new phase of his career off to a flying start with victory in a 1600m maiden at the country Victorian track.

A Street Cry half brother to three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, Rodway had disappointed in his first two starts but showed a gelding operation had done the trick when he raced clear in the straight to post a 4-3/4 length win.

Trained by Peter Moody, Rodway is raced by a Group which includes Makybe Diva's owner Tony Santic and Neil Werrett who enjoyed his finest moments with Black Caviar.