Michael Rodd opted for the low-percentage option aboard Angelic Light but it paid dividends when the talented filly snuck along the rails to win the Listed Crockett Stakes on Friday night.
Angelic Light’s win over 1200 metres at Moonee Valley gave Rodd his third straight success in the race after victories to Dutchy’s Lass and Kneeling.
Angelic Light winning the Printhouse Crockett Stakes at Moonee Valley - photo by Race Horse Photos Australia (Steven Dowden)
Rodd had the Robbie Griffiths-trained filly in behind the lead and was biding his time as rival runners moved around to make their moves turning for home.
The leader Roll The Bones drifted off the fence as she entered the home straight and Rodd quickly drove Angelic Light ($4.20) through to win by three-quarters of a length over Agueda ($3.10 fav) with Saturn Rock ($4.20) a nose away third.
“I was concerned (on the home turn) but I knew I had the horse under me to get me out of trouble,” Rodd said.
“It was a bit of a low-percentage ride on my behalf but I just felt that if I had to slow up and try to come around them then I would have lost momentum and she might not have got there in time.”
The daughter of Holy Roman Emperor, who had won at Kilmore and Echuca at her past two starts, is set to progress to a Listed 1400m fillies race on Melbourne Cup day.
Rodd believes the step up in distance will be no problem and labelled her a “very promising filly”.
“She’s come a very long way in a short amount of time,” Rodd said.
“This was my first ride on her but Robbie pumped her up to me today and said she’s got a really big future, he thought I’d really like her and he’s bang on.”
