| 09-09-2010 |
Michael Rodd (orange) wins on Shocking in the Makybe Diva Stakes
SHOCKING staked his bid for back-to-back Melbourne Cups with a slashing win win in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. Trainer Mark Kavanagh said there was a long way to go until the first Tuesday in November, but it was hard to imagine a more impressive start than Shocking produced yesterday. "It's a hard ask but he is unbeaten at Flemington," Kavanagh said after the five-year-old powered home to win the 1600m feature. "Maybe you'll see him at Flemington right the way through as much as we can." "The Turnbull looks a good option, but I don't want to set anything in concrete today. I want to see how he pulls up. "The Cox Plate is on the radar. He's not a Moonee Valley horse, but he's going good." Shocking has raced at the home of the Melbourne Cup four times for as many wins including his Lexus Stakes (2500m) and Cup (3200m) victories three days apart last spring.
He raced only twice last autumn and missed the Australian Cup with a hoof abscess. But Kavanagh says he's more mature and switched on now than he was at the same stage last year for his assault on the 150th running of the Cup in which he is weighted to carry 57kg, 6kg more than he was successful with last year. The son of Street Cry became the first Cup winner to go on and win the Makybe Diva, since Jeune in 1995 when it was named the Craiglee Stakes. Kavanagh admitted he was pleasantly surprised with the weight-for-age 1600m Group 2 victory. "Amazing, I guess you just had to be there," he said. "He is going better than he was last year, but I thought it was a bit of a hard ask second-up over a mile. "He's lightly raced, 12 months older and he certainly showed us that he's a lot better." Ridden by Michael Rodd, Shocking, specked at $21 and starting at $18, came with a withering run to score by a half-length from Heart Of Dreams ($7.50) with last year's winner Vigor ($5.50) 11/4 lengths away third. Rodd confirmed Kavanagh's opinion that Shocking was "a lot sharper and switched right on". "He travelled up nicely. I was really happy with him through the going and once I pulled him out he's got that good turn of foot and he keeps going," he said. "This time he does it for you, you don't have to make him do it. He's going through his gears and let's hope we can get him there (to the Melbourne Cup). Danleigh, who eased from his opening quote of $3.80 but still started favourite at $5, settled ninth of the 16 runners and ran on to finish fourth without ever looking a threat. |
Lawrie Mayfield-Smith Racing © 2024 .
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