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Rodd remembers Bush Padre as he hits win No 300

3 minute read

As stable jockey to trainer Cliff Brown, Michael Rodd does not ride all that much for trainer Lee Freedman these days, but was still glad the legendary Australian trainer was the one to hand him a milestone on Friday night.

Foresto winning the CLASS 4
Foresto winning the CLASS 4 Picture: Singapore Turf Club

The Australian jockey brought up his 300th winner at Kranji with $13 favourite Foresto saluting in the $50,000 Class 4 race over 1600m. It was the second Leg of a running double with win No 299 coming via another favourite Rapidash in the $20,000 Maiden Division 1 race over 1400m, but for Brown.

Rodd, whose first Kranji winner was Huka Falls for former nine-time Singapore champion trainer Laurie Laxon on January 4, 2015, admitted that the landmark win on one of Brown's horses would have been the icing on the cake, but Freedman was also an apt provider he was indebted to, going back to his early formative years.

"I was apprenticed to Lee at his Rye training complex. He would make chocolate milk for me," he recounted.

"Lee then sent me to (champion jockey) Damien Oliver who helped me in the early part of my career. Lee put me on a few winners in Brisbane, including Bush Padre in the Group 1 Hollindale Stakes and the Group 1 Doomben Cup – that night, I also met Cara (wife)!

"It's a nice feather in the cap to land the 300th win milestone tonight. I've been here long now and it's a nice achievement to add to my record here."

Freedman remembers very well when the young 20-year-old boom Brisbane apprentice jockey (master was Bryan Guy) was under his tutelage, even if he cheekily said he was not quite the finished article then.

"He wasn't much of a rider then, but he's become the outstanding jockey we all know now," said Freedman.

"It's great he's ridden 300 winners here - and counting, I would say. He certainly rode mine (Foresto ) a treat.

"It's funny how this horse had a three-kilo claiming apprentice jockey at his last two runs, but he never travelled.

"You put a good senior jockey on and you can see he's worth more than the three kilos – and probably more."

Foresto was indeed always in good hands from the get-go – travelling sweetly in fifth spot before putting paid to his 11 rivals once Rodd angled him out for his charge to the post in the home straight.

The Excelebration four-year-old drew clear to score by 1 ½ lengths from Awesome (Yusoff Fadzli) with Caribbean Lady (Wong Chin Chuen) third another head away. The winning time was 1min 39.12secs for the Polytrack mile.

With that third win, Foresto has taken his stakes earnings close to the $140,000 mark for the King Power Stable.


Singapore Turf Club

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